


Some Unholy War

by LeiatheRebel



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-30
Packaged: 2018-12-08 10:37:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 27,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11644803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeiatheRebel/pseuds/LeiatheRebel
Summary: The Collective and The Nexus are challenged by a group of unknown origin and motive. Can the Pathfinder team beat the countdown and stomp out the conflict? Will Ryder and Reyes Vidals relationship survive?Note: major references to Ryder's Family Secrets + this takes place after the events of the game!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I decided to pull a Netflix and write and release my work for this piece in one fell swoop. I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> Note: I edited this to the best of my ability, but I'm pretty bad when it comes to punctuation. I did my best, but let me know if there are any gratuitous errors and if they are incredibly bothersome and I will make some revisions!

-Prologue-

??????

“The Initiative has just secured an Outpost on Kadara. It is rumored Ryder assisted the Charlatan in the coup to usurp Sloane Kelly.”

The light above Shaila’s head flickered, almost ominously, as she rattled off the information, almost unconcerned about here superior’s lack of eye contact. Shaila took her long awaited breath as she waited for the superior’s response. She tucked her arms behind her back and raised her chin toward the leaking ceiling.

After a brief awkward silence, her superior spoke finally, and decisively, “and what of The Collective now?”

“Intel suggests that they have swarmed Kadara port. They have opened up more soup kitchens and stopped exiling citizens out to the Badlands. However, the Charlatan is getting greedy. He takes a cut of product and profit from local businesses and the locals have reported an influx in mugging. People are glad that Sloane is gone, but they are uneasy about the period of time it will take for the Charlatan to truly become comfortable. Is that all the intel you need? I could go back-“

“Thank you Shaila, that is more than enough. I see you’ve gotten much better at this then when you’ve started.”

Shaila felt the flush of shame sting and taint her cheeks as she turned her back to them and made her way to the automatic door. She could hear the frantic typing on the omni tool behind her, but she paid it no mind as she went to unlock the door.

She turned once more: “When will you be making your move?”

“Soon. Neither the Charlatan nor their Pathfinder will see us coming.” A slight smirk appeared on the Asari’s face: “very good.”


	2. Chapter One- Reyes Vidal

Chapter One  
Reyes Vidal

  
Reyes slumped against the kitchen counter. His body was lurched in an awkward position as he shook the sleep out of his eyes: “Sara, you’re up early. I’m just going to be honest, I never took you for an early bird.”

  
Sara yawned loudly in response as she teetered over the crackling pancakes on the stove, “My Dad tried and tried to get me up before five am. I’m far from a morning person, but, you know, duty called.” Her eyebrows raised in annoyance as her arms stretched outward. The phrase “duty called” almost sounded poisonous in her mouth.

  
“Did this duty involve you running and gunning in your ratty pajama pants?,” Reyes said with a laugh as he wrapped his arms around her, and gently nudged her away from her position above the stove, “Sara if these pancakes stayed on the pan any longer, they’d be borderline cremated.” 

“Sorry.” Sara offered casually with another loud yawn.

  
Reyes chuckled as he led her to his cramped dining room table, filled to the brim with old school paperback books and data-pads. This place was not the place to bring your average partner to, but Ryder was far from Reyes’s usual fare.

  
Many stereotyped Reyes as somewhat of a bachelor, but the thought almost made him laugh. Hard. Certainly, he could always be found at the local bar, reclining in a booth all the way toward the back of the room. Far away from all the frantic flailing of piss poor dancers and the cheap Vodka that was often found on the floor, rather than causing damage to someone’s taste buds. Of course, some individuals would find themselves at his booth, stumbling over their words while swaying out of rhythm to the techno music, but Reyes seldom cared. Once he began his crusade against The Outcasts as the Charlatan, he buried all other thoughts of romance and relationships in the forgotten places of his mind. The only thing he held at night was a stiff and strong glass of Whiskey and he had zero qualms with that.

  
But now, in some sort of karmic fashion, there was someone. His true equal. But rather than exchange bullets, they instead send embarrassing emails back and forth. Reyes didn’t know if he was disappointed or grateful. Ryder was, frankly, much more fun as a romance, rather than some sort of arch nemesis. But in the past, Reyes couldn’t tell which was which.

Even early in the morning, Sara looked radiant: with her pale white hair and deep brown eyes. Ryder would often describe herself as looking like a female replica of her father, Alec. She was Japanese, and although she lived on The Citadel for most of her life, she always loved going on trips with her Mother to Japan’s Countryside, where she would pretend to explore in places clearly treaded before. That story brought a lot of joy to Reyes. Even as a little girl, Sara new she was quite the explorer.

  
From there, if Reyes was lucky, he could get Ryder to tell stories of her Father’s childhood in Japan and his mother Yuuki, an eccentric scientist and inventor. Family, to her, meant everything and lineage was a ball and chain that forced her to strive for greatness. Before their brief encounter at Kralla’s Song, he could’ve never imagined her becoming privy to such frank and honest conversations. He planned to never tell her how close they were in upbringing.   
He snapped out of his thoughts: “Does she think the Roekarr or the last squadrons of Outcasts did this? Should I get some men to do more vigilant patrols toward the drop zone?” Reyes asked as he sat on the couch beside her.

 

  
“You never told me your duties on this fine morning.” Reyes said, his voice raising an octave as if Ryder was yards away, rather than curled up on his couch nursing piping hot coffee.

  
“Addison. Some supplies went missing in route to Ditaeon. She wants me to look into it and was not afraid to call at the asscrack of dawn to make it happen.” She replied casually, as she slowly blew on her coffee in some paltry attempt to cool it down.

  
Sara attempted to give a fake, but reassuring smile: “Not exactly… She assumed it was The Collective.”

  
“Out of all of the leaders to find out my identity, it had to be the one that hate me the most.” Reyes whined as he stabbed at the pancakes before him, embarrassed that he needed to throw a ridiculous number of data-pads off of his dining room table to make it work. His apartment, if you call the 500 feet of space he prowled in that, was almost always cluttered beyond belief. Not even with the most focused cleaning and organization could he ever make it look semi presentable. Not that he needed it to be, he knew Ryder didn’t care.

  
“I’m sure she doesn’t hate you. Although she probably would when she finds out you and I have more than a business partnership… And don’t get me started on Tann.” She chuckled as she sipped her coffee. Reyes offered her a fork and she accepted.

  
He spoke: “I visited Kralla’s Song to gauge Kadara’s response to The Collective. We are facing somewhat of a learning curve in that respect, by the way. I will make sure both the people of Kadara port and Ditaeon thrive, Ryder. It’ll just take time-“

  
Ryder placed her hand on his shoulder: “Reyes, no one expected the transition to be perfect. Besides it’s been a couple of days. If people expected sunshine and roses, they wouldn’t have set up shop in Kadara, that’s for damn sure.”

  
“I did.” Reyes responded decisively, his eyes narrowing, causing Ryder to call his bluff.

  
She sat up and kissed his cheek: “You’re not that naive, Mr. Vidal.”

  
“Come on, Sara! Let me get some of your sympathy!” He responded in a feigned over dramatic voice as he placed his head on her shoulder.

  
He continued: “Umi was asking for you. She was surprised that you stuck with me for so long.” He said with a chuckle.

  
Ryder laughed in response, “Reyes, it’s been like three days. How bad is your relationship track record?”

  
“I’m working on that now with you!” Reyes protested.   


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter Three- Sara Ryder

Chapter Three  
Sara Ryder  
One Month Later:  
Post-Meridian

  
If there was one thing Sara Ryder hated more than pastel, it was goodbyes.

  
With Reyes Vidal, there were a lot of those to go around.

  
Sure she was supposed to be used to them by now, as her father was always off on some mission half way across the galaxy, and when he wasn’t, he could be found in his own head. With saying goodbye to Reyes, she felt nervous. Men in Reyes’s positions have to be methodical. They often have to outsmart and outmaneuver others. She knew of Reyes’s competence, but the idea of it never let her breathe easily.   
Besides, that bastard rarely responded to her emails.

  
After the confrontation with the Archon, Tann had essentially pushed the “Human” Pathfinder team into more of an exploration role. The role they were initially promised in the first place. The week before, Sara was cataloging plant and rock samples with Cora and Liam on Eos, feeling annoyed by the pressure to “take it easy.” There was so much bubbling in the back of her head: Jien Garson’s murder (crazy suspicious), The Benefactor (who the fuck are they),the (now found) Quarian Ark, and Sara’s (once dead) mother who happened to be more alive than initially believed. It seemed so surreal.

  
Cora fiddled with her hair as Sara approached Kadara’s dock. Sara always thought that Cora looked perpetually annoyed, and questioned (often) whether or not Cora used the disgusted expression as a second skin. Almost like it was a defense tactic. Sara recalled an “on the nose” retort that Gil made to her during some of their first conversations. “I never let anyone in.” Substitute the “I” for practically anyone of her crew mates and the phrase would be accurate. This was especially true for Cora. When Sara was allowed to dive beneath the surface of the blonde’s icy exterior, she felt almost relieved. She was expecting something of a rival, but she had found a confidant. A friend.

  
“So where is the boyfriend?” Cora asked with a sly smirk as she followed Ryder toward the Tempest.

  
“He was busy. I made him feel bad about not seeing me off. I think I got a dinner out of him” Sara replied, playfully elbowing Cora as they walked toward the bridge.

  
“Smart,” she paused, before continuing, “Sara, we received a message from Tann over comms. You forgot, didn’t you?” Cora asked, as she stepped over toward the Bridge’s email terminal and brought up her personal inbox.

 

* * *

  
“You’re kidding me.” Sara grumbled as she awkwardly tugged on the hem of her dress as if it were even close to being too short.   
The dress was a dark and moody purple with blue and white vein like designs that formed a unique pattern that took up the entirety of the fabric. The fabric would, in different lighting conditions, change colours. It was beautiful and perfect, especially since Vetra traded: two bars of chocolates, a smutty novel involving a Volus, a Hanar, and a BDSM fetish, and Predator pistol to obtain it. Suvi insisted on “doing something” with Ryder’s hair: a brilliant white pixie cut, and by “something” she meant gel it into oblivion and have the fringe stand upward and spiky. If her friends would’ve gotten the reference, or at least understood her father’s strange obsession with old school films from hundreds of years ago, she would’ve hummed “Pretty Woman” as they all helped her get ready.

  
She focused back on the gathering and making nice with the local “celebrities” deemed worthy enough to get an invitation to Tann’s shindig.   
“Hey, Pathfinder. Have you seen the finger food here?” Liam asked as he took a huge bite of some delicacy that had some rather… unusual colors.   
“Ryder, the Angara have usually enjoyed going to celebratory gatherings. This one is rather… quaint compared to those I have been to on Aya.” Jaal stated as he stared at Liam’s plate, with a quizzical expression.

  
“Cross species celebratory unity gathering. Sounds like big words strung together into some galactic bullshit.” Liam said under his breath as he took an angry bite of cheese.

  
“We have defeated the Archon: the murderous dictator that placed himself above my people and slaughtered them. The kett in the system are weaker without their leader, and not to mention, we have learned more about the Remnant in months than Angaran scientists have learned in entire lifetimes. Your people have placed the Moshae into a high leadership position. Something she rightfully deserves,” Jaal explained with excitement, “we have a lot to celebrate tonight, Ryder. Might I suggest the Angaran wine?”

  
“I don't know if the last time I that, if the Ryncol or the Angaran wine nearly incapacitated me. I think I’ll pass.”

  
A distinctively Scottish accent boomed from behind Ryder: “Sara! Over here!”

  
Ryder excused herself from Liam and Jaal and headed toward Suvi who was in a large group with Peebee, Cora, and Vetra. They stood on the sidelines of the dance floor, standing together in a group almost awkwardly as dancers flailed around them. Vetra wore a sleek, but trendy pant suit that accentuated her tall and slender figure. Peebee refused to wear anything else than her standard fair, but was wrestled into a long maxi skirt by Dr. Lexi at the last minute. Suvi donned a pretty tule green dress with a very colourful gemstone necklace while Cora opted for a simple black dress, while her hair endured Suvi’s shock treatment. “No fuss.” Cora said in the Sara’s quarters hours prior as she spun around, allowing the black fabric to curl around her.

  
“The Nexus could barely keep it together to protect it’s residents during it’s first months in Andromeda. But leave it to them to throw a decent party.” Cora muttered, her eyes locked on the fancy words that occasionally displayed on the various screens in the party area.

Tann had decided to mobilize the Docking Area along with the Vortex into a quasi dancing area. All ships were dry docked for inspection, leaving the entire area clear and semi quiet, save for some late party guests from settlements occasionally getting dropped off. The artificial light in the station was dim and they had allowed for the system to simulate the night sky: with various stars and distant planets dotting the landscape around them. “Come join us in the celebration of life, here in Andromeda!” Tann’s voice echoed throughout the station, nearly muffled by the throbbing electronic music that continued to blare on the the loudspeakers above them. The various screens around them had that phrase in bright neon letters.

  
“As if people would forget,” Peebee said, “geez, I wonder why I decided to come here for a bureaucratic circle jerk!”

  
“Peebee! Watch what you’re saying! Some of these Angara are highly esteemed and are waiting to meet all of us. We did play a hand in saving them after all!” Suvi scolded.

  
“Ugh, I’ll try. But if I can’t complain about the cosmic insult they call that DJ playlist, I’m out of here. Elcor heavy metal is miles ahead in quality than this horror show.” Peebee responded.

  
Cora laughed: “can’t say I have ever had the pleasure of listening to that genre.”

 


	4. Chapter Four- Reyes Vidal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shit's getting real!

Chapter Four  
Reyes Vidal

  
The Kadara slums was still the place to be. Although Umi spent hundreds of years perfecting her liquor, Kralla’s Song felt too constrictive and too vanilla. Reyes preferred Tarturus and the danger that lurked on every street corner. It reminded him in some strange way of all of the work that needed to be done to make Kadara a home for anyone.

  
He walked into the night club and headed into his VIP room: avoiding eye contact with the usual patrons and dancers. The overhead purple and red lights began to flash as he entered. There was business to attend to.

  
Becoming The Charlatan was almost like a rebirth. It took a while to create The Collective in response to Sloane Kelly and her Outcasts. In some sick, twisted way, Reyes respected and even liked Sloane initially. She had never truly bothered him, only merely insulted him on few occasions (save for when he got his hands on her favorite liquor). The cracks in the armor became more and more evident as time progressed. Sloane’s methods of control bordered on inhumane: the public beatings, the drug Oblivion that obliterated the lives of everyone that used it, and throwing innocent people to the wolves if they had no money to live in the port or the slums.

  
Sloane was quick to slam down The Collective’s predecessors: The Angaran Alliance, The Biotic Defenders, and The Republic of Kadara. They, of course, were never any threat to begin with, but it was no surprise to anyone that they were snuffed out discreetly. She was direct, quick to the draw, and attentive. Sloane had one weakness though and Reyes knew how to exploit it, Sloane could only destroy the enemies she could see.

  
Reyes collapsed on the couch and picked up his personal, and most used, data-pad. He keyed in the digit code to call Keema in his omni-tool, while thumbing through the toxic sludge of information presented to him.

  
Keema’s semi-annoyed (let’s face it, that just was her vocal tone) voice erupted through the speakers after three rings: “What seems to be the problem?”

  
“What, can’t a man call his friend out of the blue to catch up like old times?” Reyes asked jokingly as he dropped his data pad to take a sip of whiskey.

  
“Pfft. The last time you contacted me, you didn’t even tell me the coup was coming. You just wanted to ask me if I thought Ryder would date a bad boy! I had to learn my ascension to the throne from a second rate lackey of yours,” Keema scolded with a jovial laugh, she paused: “Wait a minute. This is what this call is about, yeah? The Nexus officials are ignoring you and you want to see what Ryder is up to under the Initiative’s thumb? I have to admit that is rather adorable.”

  
Reyes was taken aback: “of course n—-!”

  
“Well then, I guess you’ll never know about the formal event your precious Pathfinder and your favorite Angaran, might I add, got invited to.” Keema teased.   
Reyes sighed: “fine, spill.”

  
A formal event? He thought about the idea of surprising Ryder and getting into trouble on the Nexus. He hadn’t been on that ship in so long, the idea excited him to no end. He wanted to see her surprised. Maybe he could even meet all of her crew mates. Besides, he had to go now, he never saw Ryder in a dress before. That would sure be… something.

  
“You know I like to be fashionably late, but with all of the meetings I’ve been dragged to, I’m pushing it, I need you here in ten minutes.” Keema said.   
“I’ll be standing outside your personal ship in five.” Reyes responded.

  
“Don’t even think about leaving without that suit I like so much, darling. I know it’s hanging up in that rat’s nest you call an apartment.” Keema replied. 

Reyes sighed, checking the time on his omni-tool: “ten it is.”

His work would have to wait. 

* * *

  
FTL through six systems takes roughly an hour or so, so Keema and Reyes spent it sifting through the various emails on their terminals. The cockpit’s dashboard was filled with blinking red and orange lights that turned the dimly lit room into an art piece. Keema sat crosslegged on the chair before him, lightly dabbing her cigar into the ashtray that was perched precariously on the armrest. She was consumed into her work now, scrolling quickly through the various emails on her datapad. This was how she looked when they talked business. Reyes got less smuggling jobs now that Ditaeon was up and running with Initiative supplies, but he didn’t mind it. Ryder was trying to talk him into supply running from various settlements across the cluster, a good and honest job, but Reyes knew the farther he was from the Initiative’s payroll the better. Even if some well meaning settlement mayor didn’t know his name and his attachments to The Collective, a big shot leader like Addison would, and he had been on her bad side before.

  
Reyes used the ship’s bathroom to change into his tux, while Keema took a break from their schemes to forge up false records for him. He had swooped into save the day with Kandros and Evfra, but still, a lot of Kadara residents jumped on Collective ships in the hopes that they’d help fill the Archon with bullets. He was just some third rate smuggler that crash landed on Meridian with the dirty exiles and he needed to keep it that way. But not tonight, of course. Tonight he was some honest scientist from Havarl.

  
His top Collective hacker (beaten only by Ryder’s SAM Implant) was able to hack into Ryder’s Codex on Havarl before Reyes and Ryder met. Although he couldn’t get too technical, he could talk about the various critters and fauna that still remain on that hostile planet. If there was someone pushing him to get technical, he could always pretend to be shitfaced. Or merely be shit faced. The Nexus could have secured good alcohol, matter of fact, if Tann was there, they would need it.

  
Reyes straightened up the black suit jacket: it had large buttons going down the left side of it, along with a leather panel on his shoulder. The jacket had a collar and, on the collar’s right side, there was a continuation of fabric underneath it. A little too fancy for Reyes’s taste, he hadn't felt such expensive fabric against his skin in years.

  
Reyes stepped out of the bathroom and headed toward Keema. However, upon seeing the sight before him, he stopped as if he was paralyzed by it.   
All of the screens in the cockpit where compromised and playing a video stream in real time. All of the shuttle pilots stared at it agog, while attempting to counter it’s hold on the ship. To no avail, of course.

  
Reyes’s breathing increased as he walked closer. Who could possibly have the technological know how to pull of such a feat?  
When he saw Keema, and her face twisted into undeniable terror, he felt his stomach churn. He wanted to shield her from what they saw, only knowing that it would somehow make it worse.

  
The camera was right in front of Keema’s family home. Reyes could see Keema’s relatives through the windows while they prepared for dinner. He could see their lips move as they spoke almost each other, hugging and clamoring together affectionately as they waited for their meals.  
The camera then panned to the right where a masked person, likely a human male, sat in a crouched position. In his hand was an assault rifle, primed and ready to fire.

  
A heavily digitized voice suddenly boomed, starling Reyes: “Keema, you seem to have stuck your neck out for Kadara’s boogeyman. Have you ever realized that such a thing has real world consequences for you?”

  
“Oh God…” Keema murmured to herself as the camera panned back to the home: her niece had stepped barefooted out onto the grass. She was picking up the toys that were strewn between the tall emerald blades. In the eery silence, you could hear her singing to herself as she picked up a favorite “princess” plushie of hers and a plush model of a Resistance rifle.

  
“What do you want?!,” Keema near whispered: her voice trembling, “Money? Protection?”

  
A laugh: “confirmation… and time for us to hack.”

  
Suddenly, the screen displayed Reyes, Keema, and the cockpit crew.

  
“Well, well. We thought it couldn’t be true. Reyes Vidal: The Charlatan. You really have everyone fooled don’t you?” The automated voice said.   
Reyes spoke deeply and harshly: “You have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m just-“

  
The voice cut him off: “Silence. We know have all of the evidence we need. Now, the puppeteer becomes the puppet.”   
The camera went back to Keema’s family. The masked man carefully stood up and pointed it right at Keema’s niece.   
“Melva, no!” Keema shrieked.

  
“Girl, you move a muscle and you’re dead!” The man roared as he charged toward her, he grabbed her by the arm so harshly, her model gun went flying across the yard.

  
The camera now followed them as they marched toward the front door. Instead of Melva’s song, you could hear her muffled sobs. The door automatically opened and the house exploded into chaos. The cockpit heard the man ordering everyone to the floor, before the audio was cut out.  
“You have a choice, Reyes. Either you reveal your true identity personally and disband The Collective, or the Dohrgun family gets wiped out. This house will be rigged to explode, so if you, your men, or that idiot girlfriend of yours try anything funny: they’ll die and you’ll still be outed. 48 hours counting down… now! Make your choice.” The voice explained.

  
The video feed ended as Keema fell to floor. Her grief and fear spilling out.

  
She continued to speak quitely, almost as though she was speaking only to herself: “please, please tell me you have a plan.”

  
Reyes’s jaw was wound as tightly as a tourniquet. His hands were clenched into fists and his mind was racing with strategy to the point where even his breathing was methodical. He took a deep breath: “they just fucked with the wrong people.”


	5. Chapter Five- Various

Chapter Five

* * *

  
???????????

  
“The Collective counteracted and disabled all of our audio and visual recording devices on their ship. We know that Reyes Vidal and Keema are heading toward the Nexus for Tann’s event, but their conversation: their “plan,” if they have one is unknown. For now.” Shaila said. 

Her Superior sighed: “What are your thoughts on this turn of events?”

  
Shaila was visibly awed by this question: “you want my opinion?”

  
The Superior gave her a look, and Shaila became sweaty, her eyes widened as she hastily attempted to recover from her blunder.  
“I think Reyes is a “think before do” kind of guy. We have him scared, but he is confident. Not to mention, he has done this spy thing before. He is a worthy adversary and I think once Ryder enters the picture, we will encounter some major problems.” Shaila responded.  
“Shaila, your aptitude never ceases to amaze me. Ready our people and remain in contact with our Nexus spies. I think we should give our next target a nasty wake up call.” Her Superior stated.

  
Shaila responded to this with a wicked grin as she explored all of the various little plans, like gnats, buzzing and whirling around her mind.  
She couldn’t help but think about how wondrous it was to see an entire kingdom crumble before her very eyes. 

* * *

  
Sara Ryder

  
Sara remembered her first dance. A shitty high school function she was forced into by the gaggle of girls she hung out with. She remembered that her partner was a transfer student from Toronto: the only person willing to show up with her.  
Being the kid of one of the soldiers who took part in First Contact either made you a social pariah or a quasi-celebrity and Ryder didn’t know which was worse. Her “date” kissed her in the middle of the dance floor in order to make her ex-crush jealous. Later on Sara found herself in the gym’s bathroom: leaning awkwardly against the antiquated bathroom sink while her date cried about something entirely forgettable. It definitely wasn’t a dance for the history books.

  
Thankfully, she didn’t find herself in that situation, as neither drunk Peebee nor Vetra came across as criers (although Peebee did get especially aggressive about her love for Rem-Tech to one too many Nexus and Resistance officials). Cora left them and got roped into doing an in depth discussion about Asari Commando tactics to an invested Efra and God only knew where the rest of the crew was.  
It was times like these that she missed Reyes.

  
Maybe a little too much.

  
There would be times that she would ask herself “what would Reyes do?” Of course she knew the answer: “get whiskey drunk and pretend to have known the Pope” or, her personal favorite, “get drunk off of piss poor liquor and accidentally use your power as a shadow leader to order really specific things under Ryder’s name.” Apparently, according to Reyes, it is funny to have his girlfriend’s name on a full case of Marmite. No wonder he was able to successfully find a full case of it so quickly.

  
She smiled like a dork to herself: reminiscing about these weird couple of months they had spent together. How wild and how… special it was to feel supported and satisfied when someone was usually so far away. It embarrassed her to be filed down to a school girl, but there was no use. Reyes said he was hacked, but maybe she was too.

  
“Hey, you must be Pathfinder Ryder!” A voice called out: a hand shot out from out of the corner of her eye, and her startled face turned to face them and shook their hand in return. The man was older, but not too old, perhaps around Dr. Carlyle’s age. He had faded red hair and across the bridge of his nose was an explosion of freckles. Ryder turned to see if Vetra and Peebee were going to back her up, but they seemed long gone.  
She said: “Ah, yes I am. You are?”

  
“Forgive me, Donnelly Jones. I work for Kesh.” Donnelly Jones responded.

  
“Oh… neat.” Ryder retorted, awkwardly stirring her drink with her index finger.

  
SAM’s voice echoed inside her head: “Ryder, there is no record of anyone under that name in Nexus databases. Even among the names of Exiles. I would proceed with caution.”

  
‘And hello to you too SAM.’ Ryder thought.

  
This was mighty suspicious, but Ryder had no idea how to respond.

  
“Kesh is a near and dear friend of mine. How is she? She skipped this event for, sorry, for some reason. What was it again?” Sara asked, hoping to snag this guy up in a lie. Kesh didn’t want to go because she didn’t feel like it. The liquor, her opinion was a noxious mix of piss and water.

  
“I’m just a guy that wrangles materials from the outposts to engineering. I have no idea what Kesh is up to. Sorry, Ryder.” “Donnelly” responded.

  
Fuck, this guy was good.

  
“So what do you want, Donnelly?” Ryder questioned, her eyes scanning his form for any sort of nervous tick that she could exploit.

  
“Um, well,…’ Donnelly began, but Ryder couldn’t hear what he was saying. There was a person standing behind Donnelly, his back facing Ryder. His hairstyle looked similar to Reyes, but lets face it, the half shaved look was pretty popular nowadays. ‘No, Ryder thought, it’s not your evil overlord boyfriend, be attentive!’

  
“Do you think you can get more materials for Kesh then, Ryder?” The “obviously lying” man asked.

  
“It’s weird that Kesh didn’t ask me herself. She and I are so close after all.” Ryder stated.

  
“Well, we certainly need them. I’ll get Kesh to send an email to you reminding you of the materials you need, he grabbed her right wrist, awkwardly attempting to connect with her in someway, “thank you for looking into this, Ryder.”  
He turned and walked away.

  
“SAM, did you get anything through facial recognition? He claims he is a nobody, but somehow he is in attendance to this party with all of the elite. We need to look further into this for sure.”

  
“I did not find anything in Nexus database records. You are correct in your assertion about him getting an invitation. I also found it strange how he went for the arm in which you use your omni-tool, Sara. I would suggest emailing Kesh and shutting down your omni-tool for now.” SAM said.

  
“Send an email to Kesh.” Ryder said as she turned off her Omni-tool.

  
“Done.” SAM stated.

  
Ryder took a quick two second glance to where that man was and he was gone. Definitely not Reyes. She took a deep breath. Suddenly two hands grabbed her and pulled her backwards, causing her to audibly yelp. She felt her opponents breath gently batter her right ear lobe as they leaned in: “you look like you’re waiting for someone.”

 


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song I bumped obsessively during the scenes at the gala was "She's My Collar" by The Gorillaz ft. Kali Uchis.

Chapter Six  
Reyes Vidal

  
Sara looked puzzled: “Reyes?”

  
“In the flesh!” Reyes responded as he pulled her into a tight hug, “I missed you.”

  
Ryder giggled: “It has only been a couple of hours.”

  
“And those hours have been far too rough on my delicate heart.” Reyes interrupted, before kissing her in a desperate way that only Reyes could make romantic.

  
The ride over here after that traumatic interruption was tense. Keema would waver between hysterics and eerie calmness, as if she struggled to grasp the emotions that bubbled in her gut.  
Reyes had pulled Keema closer to him and held her tightly: promising her that he would get everyone home. No one would die, and The Collective would live. Once Ryder rallied the Nexus and found out who and why this was happening, they would have some hours to spare for happy hour on Kadara. Reyes assured her that he was buying, which made Keema produce a chuckle that he would be offended by, if not for the given circumstances.

  
The Nexus had to invite Keema to show a “united front.” After all, Kadara launched hundreds of ships toward Meridian: which symbolized a means of peace. Sloane was gone, and in that absence, the Initiative had a chance to win the exiles back. Talks weren’t even happening, only murmurs, but things seemed positive so far. Keema even receiving an invitation was a decent step forward.

  
She had promised she’d follow Reyes in after she steadied herself: leaving him alone with a fake identity and nauseous from the dizzying attack they both had just endured. Reyes imagined him and Ryder dancing together in front of everyone. He imagined getting his ear twisted about the reprimands Ryder would receive the day after about their behavior. Now he felt like he was crawling toward her at the most inopportune time, begging for some sort of help.

  
He walked in to find her standing alone: in a tight multicolored dress, murmuring to herself (or likely SAM). She looked nothing like herself in the best way possible. Her usually tame hair was pulled upward with product and her eyes were lined a prominent black. As he neared her: he noticed the brilliant white scars peek under her dress sleeves. Her arms were toned and no matter how hard she tried to relax, her posture was rigid and perfect. Even though there were no rules in a new galaxy, Ryder seemed hell bent on having her Alliance training seep in and contaminate her every move in Andromeda.

  
She kissed him again, not particularly caring who exactly was watching.  
Her eyebrows crinkled as she struggled to say something on her mind: “Reyes, would you happen to know a Donnelly?” She asked.

  
He was taken aback: “No why?”

  
Ryder shrugged casually: “I talked to a guy that was, well weird. SAM knew he was lying about his identity. I figured he might’ve been one of the Shady Bunch.”

A sound of disgust protruded from Reyes’s throat: “You know I despise that nickname.”

  
Ryder shrugged and laughed: “What can I say, Vetra’s choice in nicknames is pretty iconic. The girl sure can pick ‘em,” Ryder paused, her brow crinkling again as if she somehow knew that was Reyes’s weakness, “What brings you here. It must be important if you left your other true love Kian to see me.”

  
“It really wasn’t initially. Frankly, I wanted to see you in a dress,” Reyes held her hands tightly, ‘on my way here. Something happened. I need you and your team’s help, but it will get messy,” he paused staring at her deeply, “I’m sorry.”

  
He told her everything sparing no details. He watched her face as she processed the information, hoping to see no disappointment. Reyes should’ve seen this coming, they both knew it somehow, but he didn’t want to be called out on it.

  
“48 hours? Jesus, Reyes,” her voice went quiet: “could this Donnelly guy be a part of the assailants. Targeting me too? Think of Umi, you know, we weren’t exactly discreet.”

She gave him a rough description of Donnelly.

  
Reyes looked around, staring at each person in close proximity to them, before pulling Ryder closer to him, almost in a protective way: as if he didn’t think Ryder could handle herself.

  
“I think we should mingle a bit. Act normally. As long as no one suspects anything from either of us, we should be good. But we have to keep it low-key.” Ryder whispered.

  
“I’ll see if I can find this Donnelly guy. I may not have your fancy SAM, but as a murderer, spy, and thief, I’ve got a good scent for my own.” Reyes stated.

  
“I feel like this will be one of those rare times that I like your occupation, Mr. Vidal.” Ryder teased.

  
“Hey didn’t you know? The name is Dr. Kyris Monroe.” Reyes said as he took out his fake identification codes and held them up like a badge of honor.  
Ryder snickered: “Kyris Monroe? You might as well change it to “Alias Notmyname.”

  
“Shut up, Sara! It’s gotten me this far in Andromeda when I needed it!” Reyes protested as he backed away slowly, attempting to merge in with the intersecting bodies all talking amongst themselves. He imagined himself slowly discarding Reyes Vidal: a man weighed down with a lack of purpose and a damaged ego. He couldn’t be him right now.

He needed to be someone else to protect the one that loved him for who he was: secrets, omissions, and all.

  
So much for a romantic surprise. 


	7. Chapter Seven- Reyes Vidal

Chapter Seven  
Reyes “Kyris Monroe” Vidal

Ryder had given Reyes a rather crappy description of the man, but he knew that older gent, freckles, and red hair would stand out. He wasn’t exactly sure how to work him, even thinking about pretending to be attracted to him to glean information made Reyes uncomfortable now that he was in a committed relationship, and all other avenues seemed irresponsible.

He awkwardly slide between two couples dancing nearly back to back and down toward the bar. If he was conning someone that would be the first place to go.

“Well if it isn’t Reyes Vidal.” The sharp irritated English accent could only belong to one person. Reyes had to act fast to potentially remain undercover.

“I’m not Reyes Vidal.” He said in a fake American southern accent that made the sentence sound more like “Am nought Reese Veedale.” He smiled innocently and brightly to Addison who looked more annoyed than ever before. Her left eyebrow raised as if she was attempting to suppress some sort of reaction. He looked behind Addision’s shoulder to find Vetra coughing and really battling a chuckle at the bottom of her throat.

Reyes spoke again in his natural accent: “What is the matter, “Director,” is your face tired?,” he asked, “I can’t be here with my girlfriend?”

Foster made a noise of disgust: “And here I was hoping the rumors weren’t true. I always assumed our Pathfinder had better taste in romance partners. You know Reyes, as an amazing shuttle pilot: you broke my heart when you left us.”

“How could I break something that was never there to begin with Addison?” Reyes responded with a sigh.

Addison frowned: “Saying I have no heart? How original.”

“Why question my originality when practically everyone around you go rogue? Spender, Dr. Kennedy, who was that one group: the two tigers, the one sword?” Reyes jeered.

Addison placed her palm to her forehead and sighed: “Fine, move along and mingle. But if you have my Pathfinder drunk and dancing on a table, I will place you in police custody, have I made myself clear?”

“Crystal,” Reyes responded as he passed her and made his way to Vetra, whispering that she needed to find Ryder ASAP.

Vetra nodded, before turning back to Addison and casually continuing the conversation.

‘Smart girl.’ Reyes thought to himself as he continued to walk around, looking for anyone that vaguely matched Ryder’s description of the mystery man. There were tables that were placed around the venue with no chairs, so that guests could place their bags and drinks on the table while they chatted about business and galactic gossip. Reyes looked at the people that surrounded each one they passed: looking as though they were huddling for warmth. As he passed the last one with a Turian and an Asari sweet talking each other, he had realized that the man could have left. That could be very bad. His only lead gone.

He then noticed a man in the far corner: making eye contact with him and it didn’t take Reyes more than two seconds to realize just who that man was. Reyes casually approached him, grabbing a drink from the makeshift bar workers probably slaved over assembling, it’s bar tender turned their back to him, running back and forth with ingredients from Vortex.

Reyes stood next to the man and put on a fake smile.

“I hate parties like this.” Reyes said.

The man took a breath: “I’m sorry do I know you?”  
“Where are my manners, I am Dr. Monroe. Kyris Monroe.” Reyes responded.

“Donnelly Jones. What type of a doctor are you?”

“I am a scientist. I help catalog the plants and animals on Havarl in particular.”

“So what brings you to my corner?” Donnelly asked a swig of his drink.

“Got into a slight altercation with Director Addison and I wanted to hide out. Why are you here?”

“Had a talk with the human pathfinder. God, she’s beautiful as hell, but a total ice princess and totally up her own ass. Didn’t even hear a word I said. I wanted to meet the other Pathfinders: Avitus, Raeka, and Vederia, but only Raeka is here and Jesus only knows when Tann will stop talking the ear, or whatever she has, off her.” Donnelly complained.

Reyes bit his own tongue, attempting to calm himself before asking: “Why isn’t Avitus or Vederia here?"  
“Avitus ain’t a people person and Vederia has apparently taking to hardcore APEX training with Kandros. I heard she took a nasty hit and is sleeping it off,” Donnelly paused and sighed, “I’m so disappointed that the Pathfinder didn’t listen to me about the materials Kesh needed. I felt awkward standing there with her for that long. I heard rumors she’s in deep with some idiot exile on Kadara. Maybe when he’s not cannibalizing and stealing Initiative shit, he could teach her some freakin’ humility.”

“How do you know it is a man?” Reyes asked hoping to get him stumbling.

Donnelly’s eye’s flashed with panic: “I dunno, I guessed.”

“I’ve been on the Nexus for a while. Waiting to get moved to our scientific outpost. I know Kesh and some of the dock workers, but I’ve never met you. You must be one lucky bastard to not be on shift all the time. I bet some of your coworkers hate you.” Reyes lied.

“I-I’ve seen you around. You just didn’t see me, is all.” Donnelly stammered.

Reyes noticed a locked door behind Donnelly, leading to the citizen’s processing room. Reyes immediately opened his omni-tool and began the hacking procedure. The telltale green light appeared.

“You’ve never seen me, because I live on Kadara. In between eating Asari and Turians and torturing pathetic men like yourself, I bide my time destroying my liver and fooling around with a certain Pathfinder. Something tells me,” Reyes opened the door, “that you know something I don’t.” Reyes shoved Donnelly into the vacant room and pushed him up against the wall. The rows of chairs were initially awkward to maneuver through, but luckily, in Reyes’s rage, he got passed them carefully.

Reyes smiled, this time, it was genuine: “Now I want you to tell me who you work for before things get very ugly and bloody. Are we clear?”

Donnelly sneered: “You can’t do anything to me! They'd drag you into custody or kill you where you stood.”

“Kill me? The Pathfinder’s boyfriend? You must be joking. What are they going to do exile me to Kadara?” Reyes chuckled as he pulled out the knife from his concealed jacket pocket.  
“I hate to cut this short-“ Reyes snickered quietly after saying this, in his own mind, he acknowledged his own pun, “but there is a very pretty Pathfinder that I’m certain is waiting to dance with me.”

Donnelly grinned: “we are Andromeda’s new awakening. It’s chance to reach a higher purpose. Mr. Vidal,” Donnelly spat Reyes’s own name back in his face like it was a curse, “look at those pathetic leaders. Look at what they have done. Nothing! They have hid behind their titles and waited for their precious Ryder to do all the work for them. They exiled and sent people to die for little to no reason! They can’t be trusted."

“Why target me then? Why target Sara?” Reyes cried, “Why do you have Keema’s house rigged to explode? There are children in that family. Traumatized! Ryder saved your ass! In Kadara, we are trying to build a better world. We are dealing with the cards we are dealt, while you seem to just want to wipe the slate clean because you’re pissed at how we got here!”

“You don’t get it do you? We don’t belong here! They won’t let us go back when all we hear is radio static from the Milky Way! We are ghosts trampling on planets that were never meant to be ours. You are no better than the Kett! I skipped out on my family, my friends for a galaxy that never needed us to begin with. I was tricked into some vision that a dead moron sold to me! The Spires of Hope will rise. But we must demolish everyone that thinks that they stand above us, starting with you!” Donnelly screeched.

Donnelly forced all his weight on Reyes, clawing at Reyes’s wrist for the knife. Reyes attempted to root all of his weight in his left leg and succeeded, he then sent a swift kick into Donnelly’s groin. Donnelly choked on air and deflated willingly being forced back up against the wall.

“Never needed us? The Angaran people were getting slaughtered and forcefully uplifted. You were just too scared to be caught in the crossfire,” Reyes changed the subject: “Where is your base? Who do you work for?” Reyes said gruffly.

“I would rather die than give you that information!” Donnelly spat.

Reyes punched him hard and quickly began a hacking procedure using his omni tool. He pulled Donnelly back up and asked him the same question again.

Donnelly spat out blood, his mouth damp with crimson and spit: “I think you dislodged a tooth there, pal! Surprised the all mighty Charlatan has some backbone when other people aren’t doing his job for ‘em!”

Reyes’s response was to immediately knee Donnelly in the stomach. Donnelly lurched forward, the sound produced from his throat sounded like a wounded animal.

Reyes dropped him and Donnelly collided with the linoleum floor, his mouth immediately began staining the perfectly polished white red.

Reyes took the opportunity to deliver a swift stomp to Donnelly’s abdomen causing him to choke on his own blood and to produce a sound only described as “glurp!”

A small clump of Reyes dark black hair fell from it’s perfectly gelled position on to his forehead. The edges pricking the membrane of his left eye. He carefully swept it away, only to find it falling back to it’s spot. He sighed.

The sound of the automatic door giving way surprised Reyes. He carefully kicked Donnelly to a position behind a row of chairs.

“Reyes, what are you up to now?” Ryder said with a sigh.

“Our friend Donnelly offered up the name of the organization and the gist of their evil plan. I hacked into his omni tool. Might be something there. Nothing else though. Might be enough work on.” Reyes explained.

“Oh,” Ryder said in a surprised tone, “you’re pretty good at this torture and interrogation thing.”

Reyes smiled: “I don’t know if that is something to be proud of, Ryder. But thanks, I suppose.”

“Geez, you roughed him up pretty badly. I think we should probably just leave him here. Maybe Mr. No Name having to explain himself to Nexus Security might give us some more answers.” Ryder replied.

Reyes nodded: “Sounds good, but first-“ Reyes grabbed Ryder and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her hard. Holding her tightly, his hand pressed up against her waist.

Reyes felt Donnelly’s hand begin clawing at his ankle and he opened his eyes just enough so that he could quickly offer a kick into Donnelly’s face. Donnelly let out a pained muffled cry before remaining still. Reyes moved his hands to the sides of Ryder’s face.

Reyes chuckled quietly: “To be fair Sara this is the waiting room. Not a closet. I am moving up in the world.”

Ryder took a deep breath and steadied herself on a row of chairs: “But still, I think we should keep the illicit make-outs until after we save your friend’s family.”

Reyes feigned a pout: “But I thought I deserved it since I beat the shit out of a spy!”

Ryder laughed and kissed him, embracing him warmly.

Then the door opened again: “Why am I not surprised!”  
Reyes broke from Ryder’s mouth, casually kicking away any of Donnelly’s splayed out limbs: “Shit!” He cried out.

Ryder gulped, her face going bright red: “Hello, Director Addison. You caught me at a bad time."  
“I don’t think I caught just you.” Addison replied gruffly.

Reyes replied: “I wasn’t having a bad time at all.” He put his hand around Ryder’s waist, pulling her toward him.

Addison looked over her shoulder and noticed the various people standing around craning their necks and casually pointing in their direction.

Addison sighed and put her palm to her forehead as if she had a headache: “Just, get out, when you can, I suppose. You have an entire room to yourselves on the Tempest.”

“At least it’s not as worse as being caught giving guns to exiles!” Reyes said, snapping his finger as if he pulverized her with a witty comment.

Ryder’s eyebrows crinkled as they both walked out of the room, as though nothing had happened.

“You know, your crew and your bosses say I'm trouble, Ryder. But I think you’re the one that causes all of it, my love.” Reyes whispered jokingly.

Ryder playfully shoved him and cried out: “Shut up!”


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I fell asleep! Here's the rest! :)

Chapter Eight  
Sara Ryder

  
“Okay, Reyes,” Ryder said definitively as she locked the door, effectively locking Donnelly inside, “we need to split up again. I would suggest hanging out by the bar, but knowing you, I would suggest sticking next to a Tempest buddy. Preferably not Peebee because she might launch you out of a goddamn escape pod.”

  
“Oh Sara,” Reyes responded as he pulled her in for another hug, “Are you embarrassed?”

  
Sara’s face went red again and she furiously shook her head.

  
“Fine, I’ll find Vetra. I’m sure she’s around her somewhere. She did find you?” Reyes asked. 

“Yup, she has a couple of questions to ask you, but I’m sure it’s no big deal. I need to speak with Tann, but I’ll keep everything low-key and I’ll see if I can slip out and mobilize APEX with Kandros. Even if I can’t, Kandros could be a lot of help in getting any additional Pathfinders around or something.”

  
SAM chimed in not on a private channel: “that sounds quite effective. Ryder, your Omni-tool was infected with some sort of virus. I am preparing to disable it and see if there are any answers it might yield.”

  
Ryder’s eyes widened: “okay, but stay safe SAM. I can’t lose you.”

  
Reyes placed his hand on her shoulder and ran off to find Vetra.

  
Ryder took a deep breath to ready herself. If Tann somehow found out about their interaction in the waiting room, she expected a lecture and a “tsk-tsk” to end all “tsk-tsks.”

  
Tann was all talk no backbone, but he liked to milk things out for dramatic effect, especially if it meant that he looked superior by comparison.  
She walked over toward the center of the docking bay area, finding Tann sitting next to Raeka and a dark haired woman she met, albeit briefly, in Kandros’s office.

  
“Hello again, Nova,” Ryder said with a smile, “Director Tann and Pathfinder Raeka, I was told you both wanted to see me?”

  
“It’s so good to see you Pathfinder, I hope we can speak some more now that all that Kett business has died down, yes?,” Nova responded with her thick french accent: her dark brown eyes widening with a sense of happiness.

  
“Of course, although knowing Tann. He called me over here strictly for business.” Ryder said jokingly as she sat down.

  
Raeka smiled: “we’ve been talking about APEX and The Pathfinder leadership teams. As you know, our ships are currently being commissioned by the Angara. They won’t be nearly as much of a technological marvel as The Tempest, but they are built sturdy and strong, plus the Angara like the work and the credits.”  
Tann frowned: “I still think we should’ve worked with Nexus engineers. We can’t merely be relying on the Angara for help.”

  
Ryder interjected: “The Angara are our partners in settling this new frontier, Director. The Moshae has dedicated her best scientists to helping us figure out the scourge. I received a report saying that some of our own are working with them too, right? That’s good. We can learn from each other. There’s no harm in that, right?”

  
Ryder continued: “My people have received reports about a group called The Spires of Hope. I think we should look into them and stop them as soon as possible.”

  
Tann gave her a puzzled look: “Ryder, I don’t see why this couldn’t wait until tomorrow.”

  
“B-But it’s important.”

  
Tann shook his head and continued to frown, while Nova leaned in closer, her two hands clasped together tightly, as if she missed that altercation entirely: “It is so wonderful, Ryder! All of the work that the Nexus is doing. It feels like we are reverting back to how it should’ve been when we first arrived. We all have you to thank!”

  
Raeka laughed: “You can thank the Human Pathfinder or your promotion too.”

  
Ryder’s eyes widened: “A promotion?”

  
“I’ve been assigned as liaison between the militia and various settlement outposts. I’ll be temporally working with Lt. Sajax, except I will be her eyes and ears on the ground wherever I am required. I’ll move on to work with Vederia on her Pathfinder Team in the future. One of the only humans on her team. It is an absolute honor.” Nova responded.

  
“Congratulations, Nova!” Ryder said, “I am happy for you.”

  
“Ryder,” Tann began, “I wanted to ask about your brother. Raeka and I have been discussing it, but we are unsure if he is fit for your Pathfinder team.”

  
Ryder felt almost every muscle in her body tighten in response, she steadied herself: “I think my brother should be the one to answer that question, Director. I will gladly work out any paperwork on my end to deal with it, regardless.”

  
Raeka nodded: “Very good, Sara. I feel the same way. Tann explained that your brother has been missing out on some key meetings. He’s been citing some medical trouble, but Tann is getting more and more agitated by it-“

  
“and I’m just hearing about this, now?” Ryder asked in a slightly aggressive tone.

Tann laughed in response: “Sara, I’m certain we’ll discuss more of this in private? I’m certain you’d want to get back to your date?”

  
That was Tann’s own special way of letting Ryder know she was leashed: hook, line, and sinker.

  
Ryder tensed up as she walked away from the group, she could hear Nova behind her giggling, like something of a catty school girl: “It was very nice seeing you, Pathfinder.”

  
‘Likewise.’ She thought.

  
She scanned for the toweringly tall Turian in the crowd, but couldn’t see her telltale jagged hair spikes in the sea of people pushing amongst themselves as they converged and separated in various directions around her.

  
“Welcome to the celebration of life here in Andromeda!” The recording of Tann’s voice echoed once again and Ryder felt a ungodly pang of pain in her head. As if something inside her skull was hammering against the walls of her bone to be removed.

  
‘Tann’s giving me a headache and he isn’t even here anymore.’ She thought, hoping that SAM could do something on his end to alleviate her systems.

  
“Ryder,” SAM began on their private channel, “I’ve gone through the Virus’s information.”

  
“And?” Ryder asked.

  
SAM began to speak, but all Ryder could hear was the sound of a gruff voice almost screeching through above the electronica music and the roar of the crowd: “attention all Members of the Spire of Hope. It has come to our attention that a certain someone wants to know who we are…”

  
She turned to find all of the screens once displaying Tann’s message and the title of the event now filled with static.  
Ryder felt the fear crackle in the pit of her stomach like a summer night thunderstorm in the deep recesses of her stomach. She croaked out Vetra’s name, hoping that a.) Vetra could hear her and b.) that Reyes was with her.

  
“Why don’t we show her?” The voice asked, before erupting into a fit of laughter.

  
Suddenly Ryder could see in her field of vision: two party guests turn to her clad in cybernetic masks that concealed their faces. The masks were born from nightmares: with their brilliant light blue colouring and circular white lens in place over the eyes. Their mouth was non existent leaving an unyielding void of blue as they screamed incomprehensibly at Ryder.

  
She turned and began to run in the opposite direction, feeling a wave of guilt as party guests were pushed to the floor in her haste, either by pure necessity or force.

  
“Vetra, Peebee, Cora, anyone?” She screamed, hoping to see a familiar face appear before her and bring her out of this hellhole and back to her ship.  
She heard what could only be described as a battlecry behind her and turned to find Jaal launching himself at one of her assailants: pinning them to the floor in a fit of rage. Jaal scrambled to his feet and ran to stand next to Ryder. He adjusted his visor.

  
“Is this how all Milky Way gatherings end, Ryder?” Jaal asked.  
“No, Jaal. Definitely not.” She responded as they took off running toward the Tempest docking doors.

  
“Shit, it’s not opening, Jaal!” Ryder screamed, “SAM get it open!”  
Ryder focused and used her biotics to throw her assailants back, knowing that they wouldn't be subdued long.

  
“SAM?” She cried.

  
SAM spoke up finally: “It appears as though something is blocking me when I try to establish a connection.”

  
Ryder took a deep breath: “okay so we go to the various terminals around here and turn it on.”

  
“That would be improbable. The terminals you would need are scattered around the station.”

  
“What now?” Ryder said, throwing a ball of biotic energy toward a charging assailant with ease. 

  
A voice replied: “you wait for your dashing boyfriend to save the day!”

  
Reyes got behind one of the Spires of Hope goons and kicked him to the floor, before pulling out his pocket knife and puncturing their neck, causing a steady stream of blood to sputter out onto the tiles.

  
“Keema left the ship before this nasty business went down. She found a pilot escaping the party and they’ll meet us a little ways out near the Docking Bay, but we have to hurry.” Reyes explained.

  
“I’m not leaving my team.” Ryder replied firmly.

  
“Members of the team are not accounted for,” Vetra responded, “has your SAM said anything?”

  
Reyes’s face grew more agitated: “we have to move now, Ryder!”

  
“What about the Tempest crew, Reyes? What about Scott?” She asked, her face growing more frantic as she imagined them scrambling through the masses of people, confused and ill informed.

  
SAM said audibly: “something akin to a scrambler is blocking my access to the other SAM’s on the team and any other lines of communication between our SAM-less crew and the Tempest. Ryder, I’d advise you listen to Mr. Vidal and we can work from there. We must trust your team.”

  
Ryder’s stung with forming tears: “I’ll kill every last one of those Spires of Hope bastards, that is a goddamn promise.”  
They began running in the opposite direction, knowing that in doing so, they were leaving behind the Tempest and it’s crew. As Ryder ran, she imagined if running would seem like some sort of betrayal. She wondered if it would act as a gut punch to the crew- her crew- that relied on her. Reyes reached out for her hand, possibly to steer her down the narrow blindingly bright white hallway: hearing the sounds of “whoops” and cries from the people following them below.

“Ey, come back here, Princess!” One cried.

  
“We won’t hurt you… Badly.” Another roared, before erupting into a fit of both laughter and mucus slicked coughs.  
Ryder raised her Omni-tool to unlock the door, releasing herself from Reyes’s grip as her omni-tool interfaced.

  
Suddenly, the door opened and she found herself face to face with a member of the Spires of Hope. Ryder felt the biotic energy manifest in her gut as she released another wave to throw them backwards and off the dock’s rather un-sturdy balcony.

  
It happened almost in slow motion as she did it: the combatant tipped their head back and stated oh so casually: “this is for Ruth Bekker,” before releasing a large amount of powder into Ryder’s face.  
Ryder felt herself fall backward in slow motion as the person, likely Ruth’s nephew Charlie, flew toward the railing and flipped over it.

  
SAM’s voice sounded far away as it replied: “now performing evasive countermeasures.”

  
She saw Reyes lean over her face, and saw a hand of a person swipe him away from her.

  
A familiar voice: “it’s too dangerous.”  
‘But I want him to.’ Ryder tried to say.  
‘I need him.’  
‘I’m scared.’

  
She felt her body go light as she ascended upward she felt her head and neck jerk sharply as they continued to run toward the shuttles ahead.

  
“Stay with me, darling. Please.” A sweet voice pleaded.

  
“SAM do anything you can. I need her help!”

  
She heard the telltale whirring of a ship, and then: she heard nothing.

 

* * *

  
Scott Ryder

  
Scott wanted to laugh at the sheer irony of it all.

  
How funny it was that he got everything he wanted: mom, his sister, and a new chance to start over, but for a cost he wasn’t willing to pay.

  
He bought a drink: one without much kick in the alcohol department, but it didn't deter him from sipping it slowly as he as he sat alone.

  
The Nexus was smaller than he anticipated largely in part to the amount of people scurrying between work stations at any given time. When he was forced to remain under Dr. Carlyle’s supervision, he’d often wander off and find himself sitting down and just taking in the view: hearing the broken fragments of hushed conversation and technical jargon overload his ears and his brain.

  
In between his legs laid a bag. Inside of it was a model of some Alliance Fighter Plane that Sara would practically kill a man for. He pulled it out and inspected it. He pretended not to notice the eery reflection of his bright white eyes as they read the description of the various building materials and what the ship model emulated.

  
He placed it down hastily, remembering an unread email from some attractive, but emotionally unavailable dock worker he had encountered in Vortex a week or so ago. Scott had even forgotten the man’s name before it flashed up again on his omni-tool, reminding him of one new message.   
He heard footsteps near him, but outside his field of vision. He turned to find a male Turian, pacing, lost in his own thoughts. The Turian had caught him staring and immediately reacted: jolting backward like a young Sara used to when Scott would chase her around the house dressed as a terrifying creature from a horror vid.

  
“I’m sorry,” Scott responded politely, “I had no intention of scaring you.”

  
The Turian laughed: “You’re absolutely fine. Serves me right for being wrapped up in my latest assignment.”

  
Scott smiled: “I’m-“

  
“Security Alert! Security Alert! Nexus Security has been alerted to a hostile situation in [The Nexus Docks]. All personnel must immediately head to Militia headquarters for their assignments!” An automated voice cried out over the intercoms.  
“My sister’s down there,” Ryder exclaimed, “looks like I’m back on duty.”   
“Me too,” The Turian said as he extended his hand, “Avitus Rix: Turian Pathfinder.”  
_____________________________________  
 


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of dialogue here and two of my OC's. I just had to throw them in here.

Chapter Nine  
Sara Ryder

  
This was the third time Sara Ryder died.   
Of course, in the dark twisted melodramatic version of herself hiding in the recesses of her gut, she would’ve counted all of the times she waltzed out of Reyes’s place and into the buzzing streets of Kadara. The sulfur smell still stained the air as she walked back toward the port, embarrassed at her blatant usage of half-baked excuses to return there.

  
There was a part of her in that cave that had put it’s foot down: deciding once and for all that Reyes Vidal was just another lover. Just a man that came into her life with a wink and a bottle of whiskey. But as she retreated to her quarters and watched the Tempest rise like a phoenix from Kadara’s dust: she had realized that she desperately wanted to remain anchored there. There was a part of her that wanted to sit by his side: laughing as they planned a Collective assault. A part of her that wanted to infiltrate gatherings and gather information to destroy all of their enemies. Undeniably and undoubtably: there was a part of her that was also property of the hotheaded “head bad-ass in charge” Sloane Kelly.

  
Ryder knew it and loathed it.

  
Every time Ryder had died thus far, her mind instantly retreated to her childhood and her life leading up to this point: running barefoot over the tall blades of grass in the village of Shirakawa-go, looking upward and toward all of the ancient buildings that surrounded them.   
As she watched her life once again reveal itself back to her, she saw the younger version of herself look up toward her mother.   
“Mama, where did such old buildings come from? Why were they made?” She asked once as they prepared dinner early one evening.   
“I don’t know, Sara. Why don’t you find out and tell me, okay? I'm certain someone here knows all the answers you seek.” Ellen said with a kind smile as she diced away at carrots.

  
Perhaps, her mother had assumed that Sara would drop it. She would give up upon arriving at the conclusion that this was something that her mother could not explain (at least as well as she had explained Santa Clause, element zero theory, and where babies came from). But Sara was a Ryder, and found herself the next day pestering shop clerks and emerging into historical buildings notebook in hand. Sometimes the mystery can be solved with a bit of grit and a “can do” attitude. When Ryder recited near word for word every historical fact to her flabbergasted mother and annoyed brother, it should’ve been apparent that she was going to search for history in her own special way.

  
“I’m going to be an explorer, Scott!” Sara said excitedly that night, “I’m going to be the best one ever!”

  
“Just go to sleep, Sara.” Scott grumbled. 

* * *

  
“Scott?” Sara whimpered as her fingers became sweat-slicked and intertwined between her brother’s pudgy fingers.

  
“I’ll be fine, Sara. I promise. It was a stupid accident. I’m sure the doctors will fix it and I’ll be back to normal in a couple of weeks.” Scott’s voice was higher pitched in the hopes of being reassuring, but Sara knew better. She had to: she was his big sister by seven minutes.

  
Her mother stood outside the door: attempting to give the twins privacy as she waited for their father to arrive. He had just hopped on the shuttle and was anxiously spamming both Sara and her mother with frantic messages and prayers about Scott’s wellbeing.

  
A kind, but rather aloof Salarian doctor casually walked into the room: inspecting Scott’s face as if it were some sort of foreign object.

  
Sara had brought everything she could possibly think of: Scott’s favorite albums, some comfy blankets, and even smuggled in some of Scott’s favorite foods in order to make things easier.

  
The surgeon spoke quietly and firmly: “we must perform the cybernetic eye implant surgery on both sockets to ensure that your son can get his sight back.” She explained.

  
“Is there any side effects? How will Scott’s vision be overall?” Her mother became to hammer questions away in rapid fire succession as if the Doctor could keep up.

  
Sara interjected: “he is getting his sight back, Mom. I think it’s better than being completely blind with glass shards in his eyes.”

  
“Sara Ryder!”

  
Sara’s phone dinged, causing Ryder to casually silence it as she waited for her mother to scold her after the doctor had enough of getting their ear filled.   
“Jee,” Scott stated sarcastically, “I wonder who that could be.”

  
Sara’s first instinct was to reply: “shut the fuck up, Scott.” Before staring back up at him, surprised she even could blurt that out when her own brother was tied to a hospital gurney.

  
Scott took it as a joke: “I’m blind and even I can see that bright red blush from a mile away. Nassaria’s her name isn’t it?”   
“Not so loud, Scott. You know how excited Mom gets. It’s not official yet. But she’s cute. I have plans with her this Friday. I’ll probably cancel though.” Sara responded.

  
They had continued to talk for hours after Sara got chewed out in the hallway. Dad was still stuck on some distant shuttle and Scott found himself seemingly stuck on the one thing that could distract him from all of this eye business.

  
“Dude you should totally go and see her, sneak out if you have to.” Scott whispered.

  
“Are you kidding? Dad would practically disown me for being out that late on the Citadel. Especially with you fresh out of surgery. Cora’s Den is crazy! Those drunken creeps are really creepy when I’m on my way to school. I don’t even want to think about them at night.” Sara replied.

  
“Go, you idiot. I will purposely not get better if you don’t make it official with Nassaria, I’ll never let you live it down.” Scott replied.

  
“Thanks, lil’ bro,” Sara said with a wink, Sara eyed the bandages tightly wrapped around her brother’s face: “so does it hurt?”

  
Scott deadpanned: “I have sharp foreign objects ingrained in my eyes, what do you think?” 

* * *

 

Sara woke up on a hospital bed: gasping for the air that was in plentiful supply. She felt her body shiver as she looked at all of the medical equipment that laid strewn across the colourless room. Between her Mothers "death" and her brothers accident, she had despised any setting involving medicine. If she had to be in one, something was wrong, and there was a lot of stuff wrong at that moment. 

  
“Woah, girl. This isn’t a race. Calm down.” A stern voice said from the corner of the room. Sara craned her neck to see this person and found an Asari. This Asari looked like none she had ever seen before: her hair tentacles were painted purple and red and her the side of her lip and left nostril had silver piercings protruding outward. She gave a Ryder a cocky smirk: “Never seen an Asari like me before? Figures a prim and proper gal like you hasn’t been around the galaxies long enough.” She retorted as she placed two hands on the side of Ryder’s face: jerking her from side to side. Sara realized that she was changed into a casual shirt two sizes to big and loose pants.

  
She continued: “That drug, or poison rather, was rather nasty business. Really screwed with the little amigo in your noggin and your biotic implant. Both are okay. Comm is down for SAM, but I’m working on bringing it back up. Reyes doesn’t want you to make a move yet until you’re in the clear.”   
“Who are you?” Ryder asked, her words barely coming out of her mouth due to the searing migraine in her head.

  
“I am Dr. Lourn D’Essa. I work with machines and biotic implants. My wife Droxxa is the best damn Doctor the Collective has, and probably the best it will ever get. She is heading this way now that you’re awake. I’ll see if I can raise your SAM, okay?” Dr. D’essa replied.

  
Suddenly, the door swung open and in walked a Krogan wearing an elaborate headpiece that covered nearly everything, save for her bright brilliant green eyes. Her fabric and armor were elaborate: deep purples and navy blues swirling together vividly.

  
She looked like she was smiling: “How are you feeling?”

  
Sara rubbed her forehead: “like parts of my brain split apart and are throwing a rave.”

  
Dr. Droxxa began to scribble on a notepad of hers: “Alright, we’ll get you some painkillers that will really knock that out. Anything else?”

  
“Yeah, where’s Reyes?” Sara said.

  
Dr. D’essa replied: “Out with Lynx and their band of merry mad men. They got a lead on Donnelly’s omni-tool. Some rich exile on Kadara had a connection to them. I think Reyes is helping coordinate a strike,” she continued to franticly type on her terminal, “Damn, your SAM got hit good? Did you get any stats back from that dust, darling?”

  
Droxxa growled: “it was a special recipe. The Spires of Hope combined a potent knock-out drug with some material. You and I have seen it before though, Lourn. Some of our assassination targets would pour it into their data drives and data-pads to completely tank the system into oblivion. SAM’s lucky it had an edge there, that’s for sure.”

  
“Is SAM okay?” Sara responded, feeling her heart rate increase.

  
Dr. D’essa chuckled darkly: “It’s a machine. It hasn’t got any feelings. Like I said, it’s running fine. Comm was jammed, but I just about got it.”  
“Hello, Sara.” SAM said audibly.

  
“Oh thank God! Hey SAM.” Sara gasped, feeling a smile come to her face now that it was up and running.

  
She heard the door open and a familiar face come back in, Reyes said with a smile: “Oh thank God to you too.”   
“Reyes! How did it go?” Sara asked as Reyes walked toward her bed and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

  
Reyes sighed: “It went as well as expected. We have another good lead at merely 32 hours to spare. Keema and I have discussed potential courses of action, “he paused, making eye contact with her, “Ryder, my people aren’t equipped to do a full on assault. We usually rely on guerrilla warfare and thief prowess to handle these things, if we don’t know who we’re up against, it’s better to just be smart rather than dead.”

  
Sara sighed: “I’m so glad Keema is okay, Reyes. You don’t need to justify yourself to me. I suggest we head to the Nexus. I’ll give them all the information we’ve collected and Kandros and I will interrogate Donnelly. Then APEX will be by our side when we wipe them off the map. Perhaps even The Resistance will help too! It’s worth a shot.”

  
Dr D’essa and Dr Droxxa exchanged a knowing look between each other.

  
Reyes swallowed and looked up at me innocently, “I think you should see this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed the excuse to showcase some of the backstory of my Ryder Fam. Hope you liked it! :)


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ru-roh. 
> 
> Tension is brewing between the couple as The Collective begins preparations to destroy the Spires of Hope.

Chapter Ten  
Sara Ryder

  
“You’re shitting me. Please be joking.” Ryder exclaimed as she read the reports from Collective sympathizers on the Nexus.

  
The room the head Collective members were in was nearly unreasonably dark. One the far side of the room was a whole bunch of monitors, powered down, and surrounded by various terminals illuminated and displaying various files of varying topics. There was no natural light, leading Ryder to believe that they were deep underground.

  
She heard the door on the opposite side of the room open as a large figure ran in and pulled her into a tight hug: “Ryder! You are alright,” Jaal laughed as he spun her around, “I am so happy to see you again, my friend! Vetra, Vetra! Come here! It’s Ryder!”  
He let Ryder go and turned to see Vetra.

  
“I’m coming! I’m coming, give me a minute,” Vetra near shouted as she followed suit. Her green eyes widened as she saw Ryder and Reyes, “Thank God you’re alright, Sara. I didn’t think Reyes could handle it if they even roughed up a single hair on your head.”

  
Ryder pinched the top of her nose, attempting to sooth the throbbing pain in the back of her skull: “They did more of that, that’s for sure.”

  
She looked to Reyes and found his jaw restrained tightly and his mouth, usually found smirking, was frowning. She grabbed at his hand, but he didn’t acknowledge it.

  
D’Essa shouted: “ Agent Madden has gotten a visual.”

  
The screens roared to life and there stood Tann on a platform: the various decorations still remained, but in disarray as if Tann wanted to leave a message to everyone viewing it.

  
“We do not know what has happened to Sara Ryder, our human Pathfinder, at this time. We can ascertain that she was taken by either our attackers or another group involved in criminal activity. Other officials have gone missing as well and we are struggling to piece together our leads at the time. As of now, the Nexus has officially been placed on lockdown and communication has been cut drastically between our settlements save for emergency channels. This lockdown will remain in effect for as long as possible and we have some of our best investigating the disappearances of our people. Our settlements have ceased non essential operations as we investigate any leaks in our systems that leave us vulnerable to The Spires of Hope, The Outcasts, and The Collective. We ask that if you or anyone you know planet-side has seen the missing, that you report this to emergency channels at once.” Tann said with a unwavering glare to the surrounding crowd.

  
“But we could still go to them, right? They are out there looking for me. We could arrive and tell them everything. This could still be okay. I know what your reports said, but reports can be wrong, Reyes. The Nexus is safe. I know it is!” Sara said.

  
“Sara,” Reyes began, “How did The Spires of Hope even get into such a high profile event? How were they granted access to the Nexus? Ruth Bekker’s nephew tried to kill you and your SAM. Besides, Tann is an idiot, but here he is making some semblance of sense. The Nexus, I must confess, isn’t exactly Fort Knox when it comes to hacking prevention. My people received every single file on you, your brother, and your crew in record time, and lets not forget ever correspondence you’ve made and received on your email terminals. Nexus is trying to reach out to you and that’s what they’re waiting for,” Reyes’s voice grew harsher, “The moment the Nexus officials have you on a shuttle who's to say that one of the pilots won’t have it swan diving into a goddamn rock formation.”

  
Sara took a step back, her eyes getting wider and more aggressive: “What about my team, Reyes? My friends! My m-“ Ryder paused, embarrassed at her apprehension about sharing this important part of her life with him, “The Spires of Hope attackers were unidentifiable and are probably monitoring my team right now! My crew needs me or at least they need to know that Jaal, Vetra, and I are alive! They never knew that you were even at that party to begin with.”  
“Look, I know this is a stressful time, but sitting here and getting into a lover’s quarrel is only going to make all of us here uncomfortable and get us nowhere. I suggest we move the hell on and solve this problem. Your team and Keema’s family aren’t going to all of a sudden be completely safe until we knock these bastards out of the picture.” Lourn interjected.

  
Vetra inhaled, her green eyes downcast: “I hate to say it, but she’s right. Sid is on the Nexus and it makes me sick to have no means of checking with her. Arguing isn’t going to all of a sudden cancel out any of this!”

  
Sara heard static over the intercom and then a recognizable Scottish accent chimed in over the speakers: “Mr. Vidal, I have identified the samples of the dirt that Lynx gave to me. It’s not native to Kadara, but rather Elaaden. Whoever accidentally shed this amount of sand was without a doubt from there.”   
Reyes made swift movement to the far end of the room to respond to Suva’s message.

  
“Suvi’s here too? Who else is here?” Sara asked.

  
A different voice: “That would be me, Pathfinder.”

  
“Captain Dunn. Jesus, it’s good to hear you.” Sara replied.

  
“She rescued Keema and Suvi before finding us. In good time too, otherwise you would've been much worse.” In this moment, Reyes’s voice was softer. As if he was speaking more to himself, rather than to Ryder. Ryder looked toward her bare feet that practically stuck to the black tiled floor. It almost made Ryder smile that he had operations in a copy and paste villain lair.

  
That was Reyes’s narrative, wasn't it? Sara had recalled meeting up with Cora and Vetra after Sloane’s murder. Reyes was known to them as an opportunist and a liar. She had recalled Lexi, the ship’s doctor and psychologist, pulling her into the Med-Bay to check in with her.

  
“What’s going on with you, Sara? My profile suggests that your mind is ruled by logic rather than impulse, but this relationship is rather out of character.” She asked as she leafed through Sara’s file.

  
Sara shrugged off the encounter with Lexi, feeling more like a teenage girl entangled in a bad romance rather than an adult. She remembered sitting in bed listening to the mix of music Reyes sent her that evening. She laid on the bed blushing as she created her official report to send to Nexus brass. She had certainly had her fair share of lame and incompatible romances, especially revolving around bad boys: but this seemed like it was in that vein, but at the same time, completely different. Reyes’s bad boy act seemed more out of survival and necessity, rather than typical posturing.

  
She had dreams of settling down and running shit with Reyes, but standing in this base with some of the best the exiles had to offer, she felt like an out of place idiot. Like she was the kid that the others on the playground were forced to play with.

  
“Okay, fine. Reyes. What now?” Sara said while shaking her head, attempting to clear her mind of any negativity.

  
“I suggest we consider who in Elaaden who could possibly be in league with those out to destroy all of us.”

  
Ryder pondered for a moment: “Charlie Bekker. That’s the key!”

  
Reyes gave a look of confusion as he crossed his arms: “I’m not following.”

  
Ryder suddenly became animated: her hands moving around and her eyes widening as her mind ripped apart and melded ideas together: “Everyone was celebrating our victories. The Collective winning Kadara port and us taking it to the Archon. Tann, Addison, even me: chalked it up to all of us finally having our fresh start. A chance to live and thrive again! But what if you had lost so much that it made you want to go back to the Milky Way? What if you lost your loved ones? Your job? Your mind? We need to consider every single person that got the short end of the stick in my decisions. Every parent, sibling, best friend, of a person the Collective snuffed out. Charlie Bekker’s last relative Ruth was murdered during an altercation between my squad and the Roekarr. The Spires of Hope are recruiting anyone that is desperate enough to die trying to prove a point or to do the impossible.”

  
D’Essa placed a finger on her lip and audibly shouted an “A-ha!” before continuing to speak: “But that makes sense, right? Didn’t Donnelly spout off some similar nonsense?”

  
“But we can’t simply suggest that everyone we pissed off is now out to kill us. There are some groups out there that are hellbent on taking the power from all of us. Particularly some nasty groups in the far reaches of Kadara that want pure unadulterated anarchy just for fun.”

  
Vetra laughed: “But I thought you liked your anarchy, Reyes.”

  
“Only in small doses, my dear Vetra.” He reached out to touch Ryder’s hand and she accepted it: looking into his eyes before showcasing a weak grin.

  
“Annea.” Ryder stated.

  
“Has Keema or any of your contacts seen or heard from Annea, Reyes? The Angaran woman who used to run the water supply from Paradise.” Vetra replied.

  
Jaal’s eyes widened: “I would not expect her to join such an outlandish group, Ryder. Certainly you must be mistaken.”

  
“When we decided to give Elaaden’s water supply to the Nexus, she told her that her brother died when the exiles got greedy. That Turian trader from Kadara was there, right? Didn’t the trader say that if Annea didn’t like the look of some of the exiles she would let them die of thirst?”

  
Jaal looked down toward the floor: “She might’ve been desperate, but not that desperate.”  
“Jaal, she was the queen of the goddamn water mafia there. There isn’t a lot of people there that can show up to Kadara from Elaaden.” Vetra responded.

  
“I need to hear a report from Crux as soon as possible. We have eyes and ears everywhere on Kadara port. If Annea or anyone that has even breathed in the same room as her was on Kadara, I want to know about it.” Reyes demanded.

  
The various lackeys that lurked around the command center had started to disperse with their heads down as they typed away on their various devices: hoping for leads or anything that could possibly relieve the tense cloud that imposed itself over every operative that ran in and out of this building.   
“Ryder,” Reyes began, “I want to make this right. I want to make you safe. I know I’ll need your help eventually, but I need to fix this. I have to.”

  
Ryder pulled him in to a tight hug, forgetting the friction between them practically just moments before. He used to feel so warm, but now he felt cold and so wound tightly. She frowned, feeling a nagging feeling that pulsed through her gut. She was worried for him. Reyes looked as though he was staring down all of his greatest fears. She wanted to tell him that she was right next to him, she wanted to tell him that she would never leave him.   
But all she could do was walk out of the command center with a dour expression on her face: holding his hand and hoping that would be enough. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;-; 
> 
> I love Reyes and Ryder so much and I'm very happy with how this chapter turned out, even if it's 99.9% dialogue.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peebee, Cora, and Lexi make plans to save Ryder on their end.
> 
> (*** Note, Peebee's apartment is more spacious than what you see in game here. I decided to make that decision. Hope it's not too bothersome. ***)

Chapter Eleven  
Peebee

  
“Out of all the people to be under house arrest with. It has to be you.” Peebee snapped.

  
The Doctor calmly moved Peebee’s leg upward as she slid a plush pillow underneath it: “You really shouldn’t be so crude to the person taking care of you.”

  
“I sprained my ankle. So what?” Peebee suddenly winced out in pain as Lexi tended to her foot, “You asshole! You did that on purpose!”

  
“Did I? All I was doing was trying to help a whiny ungrateful Asari.” Dr. Lexi teased as she turned her back to the couch bound Asari. She heard the door begin to open and she turned to see Cora waltz in: tense and uptight as usual.

  
“Cora! I was just about to prepare some lunch!” Dr. Lexi exclaimed, but Cora remained undeterred.

  
Her face remained the same as she began to tear through Peebee’s cluttered apartment.

  
Peebee’s eyes widened in shock: “Cora, what the he-“

  
“Goddess, she’s right.” Lexi murmured, as she began to grab a pen and scribble out in a thick almost unreadable scrawl, before dropping it on Peebee’s coffee table: “apartment may be bugged.”

  
Peebee’s hand covered her opened mouth.

  
She watched Cora pull a small mechanical object out from under one of Peebee’s Remnant objects and sighed as she continued to go through the various trash that now lay strewn across Peebee’s place. Peebee knew immediately what Cora was thinking. The place was so empty and "blah" for someone like Peebee. But that just made leaving it easier, right? The walls were untouched, with sleek modern shelves collecting only dust and half read research papers. The kitchen had only a jar of jelly and an abundance of paper plates that swarmed the counter space. Her living room was empty, save for clusters of clothes and miscellaneous objects. Peebee never wanted this place, but she'd use the hell out of it. 

  
“I know what you’re thinking, Harper. There are hundreds of people interested in shacking up on the Nexus and they gave an apartment to the person who doesn't have a homebody bone in her body.” Dr. Lexi said with an amused tone. Cora looked under the couch and slid her hand behind the slightly crooked and damaged couch cushions.

  
“Oh would you can it, T’Perro? Cora are we good?” Peebee whined.

  
“Just about.” Cora said as she pulled a bug from under a pile of Peebee’s months old dirty laundry.

  
“I don’t even want to know how long this clothes have been out here, Peebee.” Cora said while casually jogging toward the bathroom to wash her hands.

  
“And for your convenience, you will never know!” Peebee half shouted.

  
Cora walked back into the room and sighed: “we are in the clear.”

  
“Sorry, I should’ve checked earlier, but in the chaos…” Dr. Lexi began to explain.

  
“You’re a-okay in my book, Dr. Lexi. I’m just glad Peebee hasn’t given you much trouble.” Cora said with a laugh.

  
“Believe me, if the painkillers really do start to take this edge off, I’m going to totally be trouble.” Peebee said with a shit eating smirk.

  
“So, any news on Ryder?” Dr. Lexi asked, trying to change the subject, as she leaned up against Peebee’s kitchen counter casually.

  
Cora gave a pained, yet irritated expression: “It’s a total mess, Lexi! All of our settlements have gone dark and there is no way in hell anyone is getting off this station. I tried contacting Reyes, because knowing him and his contacts, and he would know just about anything to make sure she is okay, but I keep getting error messages,” Cora paused, taking in a harsh breath: “I know Tann is trying to be helpful, I mean emphasis on trying here, but I can’t rest knowing a chunk of our team is missing!”

  
“It doesn’t help that that idiot keeps on insisting that we should treat this like shore leave,” Peebee spat, “See this shit?” She pointed to her ankle brace, “You don’t get this on shore leave!”

  
Lexi chuckled: “Have you been on Omega, Peebee? Your injury is considered a boring stress free shore leave for some mercs there.”

  
“Oh look,” Peebee snapped, “Dr. Lexi is at it again. Trying to prove she was actually cool before coming here. I bet you spent one hundred of your years attempting to crawl back into that ass of yours.”

  
“Oh please, I’ve been around since before you were even a concept, doing and learning about things you only dream of,” Lexi teased, “So what now, Cora? They can’t expect us to sit around and do nothing. Vetra, Jaal, Sara, Suvi, they’re our people. Our friends. They really can’t-“

  
The door opened: “Well Tann is expecting you to.” Addison said as she waltzed in.

  
“I thought I locked that door.” Cora mumbled.

  
“Oh you did, Harper, but I have overrides.” Addison responded, ignoring the snark that laced Cora’s words.   
“Ryder was last seen with Reyes Vidal. He showed up with an alias and a horrifyingly bad southern accent. I last saw him escaping with Ryder and two of your squadmates out to the docking bay. Due to footage, we can only assume that Suvi and another Initiative employee Captain Dunn got out with them.” Addison explained.

  
Peebee’s hands clashed together producing a laugh and a chuckle: “Oh I see, so Reyes is keeping her safe! That’s great news. We’ve been to one of their swanky bases on Kadara and we can find them real quick-”

  
Addison took a deep breath and pursed her lips together, attempting to focus on anything else but Peebee: “Tann shut down all comms because just after the attack, we received a ransom notice. It was from The Charlatan.”

  
Cora’s biotics flared: “What? That can’t be right. Reyes, I was just coming around to liking him. He seemed like he cared. They were an unlikely match, sure. But-“

  
“Besides,” Peebee interjected, “They literally shouted out their name! They are the Spires of Hope,” Peebee swallowed spit, “Vetra may or may not’ve hacked into Ryder’s terminal when we got drunk to find out that Reyes showed no signs of even planning something like this! Also, we found out that Ryder is a huge weirdo and Reyes is a dork. He had problems of people fudging these reports before, too!”

  
Addison produced an annoyed sound: “I know, I know! Reyes worked with me. Although we never saw his extreme change in character coming, even I know he’s serious with Sara. He would never hurt her. This is what makes this whole Tann situation all the more troubling, because I can vouch for him, but to save my ass and to not reveal too much, I can’t!”

  
Cora walked closer to Addison: “Ryder said you knew who the Charlatan was right away. How was that? Especially when you said you couldn’t see his change of character coming?”

  
Addison delivered a half-hearted shrug: “I think Reyes should be the one to delve into that dramatic backstory. I knew he was a brilliant and charismatic man, I never expected him to rule from the shadows and own a large scale spy organization that overthrew a hostile take-over of a port. That’s for damn sure,” She paused, “Frankly, I thought he was going to change career tracks and try for a directorial position of some kind. I heard from some of the less hostile locals that Ryder was found with a man matching Reyes’s description. Knowing how he operated, I put it together. I reached out to him and we ironed out a deal on our own terms. I’m not an idiot, Harper. The sooner everyone on this goddamn station realizes that, the more soundly I can sleep at night.” 

Peebee turned to harshly whisper to Lexi: “I think her sleepy face will thank them for it.”

  
Dr. Lexi scoffed: “I think we should let that joke die like whatever dish you threw into the Nexus kitchens the other day.”

  
“Yeah, like… something that… died recently that’s relevant!” Peebee whispered awkwardly in an enthusiastic voice.  
“Oh would you shut up?” Dr. Lexi scolded.

  
Peebee crossed her arms and sighed: “I have you know, good doctor, that I have no intention of shutting up.”

  
“I know we aren’t always on the best of terms, Pathfinder team. But I wanted to at least offer some information to you. Do with it what you wish, but you certainly didn’t hear it from me.” Addison turned and walked away.

  
Cora’s grin was wide and wicked as she stood silently. Her mind was buzzing with various leads and ideas.

  
She spoke finally: “Our pathfinder may be gone, but we can do something here. We can have our own investigation.”

  
Peebee groaned, frustrated: “Uh, hello? I got trampled by bad guys? It’s not like I can sneak across the station.”

  
“I'll head to the night club and see if I can do a mini investigation. Maybe after, I'll pry Kallo and Gil from the ship and we'll all make a plan to save Ryder. Oh and, dammit, I'm curious about Ryder's emails."

  
Peebee laughed as she forwarded them to Cora's omni-tool: “I figured you would be.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's supposed to be drilled in that Peebee isn't looking for a home and whatnot, but I figured I could make the place have a little more character while still maintaining Peebee's distance from putting down roots.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve   
Reyes Vidal

  
It wasn’t long before Reyes was sitting at his desk flicking through the various security cameras positioned in vantage points throughout the main port area. His people had begun to swarm the various hotspots of Kadara: the cramped noodle joints made entirely out of sheet metal, the eccentric drug dens, and the various renovated Angaran businesses.

  
Lourn was blowing up his desk with updates on the tech he asked her to make and he repeatedly thanked his lucky stars that she was such a prodigy.   
Reyes had a hunch that Annea would purposely look for another of her species, possibly an old acquaintance or a friend. Although many of his underlings had dissuaded him from even looking into Ryder’s hunch, the coincidences were just to great to not consider her a possible suspect.

  
Lynx immediately barged in: “We got her, Cap’n. We have confirmed it’s Annea. Just one slight problem though.”

  
Reyes appreciated Lynx’s skill and tact that demanded them to cut through the bullshit. It was that upon many reasons that Reyes decided to take them on as one of his elite.

  
“What would that be?” Reyes asked.

  
“She found us first, Sir. She’s asking for Keema specifically.” Lynx replied.

  
His eyes widened at Lynx’s response: “Shit, I’ll meet up with Keema and Sara and make some plans on that front. They want something from us, if she is really working with the Spires of Hope. Do you think we can stall her?”

  
“I’m certain we can try something, Sir.” Lynx said.

  
“Nice, nice. Can you call a meeting also? From here on out, this is going to be a risky mission and the margin of error is going to shrink as we continue further.” Reyes asked, as he reached over and poured himself a glass of scotch, knowing that it wouldn't necessarily take the edge off.

“I understand that, Sir. Do be cautious on your end, and I will work on mine.” Lynx said before ducking back out onto the field.

  
“Fan-fucking-tastic.” Reyes said: the bitterness seeping into his words like the alcohol in his system.

  
Reyes entered a command on the omni-tool that shut the automatic doors. He then reached for his desk and pulled out an antiquated tablet, entered his far too long, password, and scrolled through his past messages. Upon finding the one he desired, he leaned back and took a shaky breath.

  
A voice from his past echoed through the empty room: “Reyes, our dear oldest boy, this is our hello and goodbye to you. We are and always will be so proud of you. You have always excelled and made us so, so proud. Your father and I want you to know that life isn’t like the scenery you sped by during your shuttle races or the forced mingling you endured many times throughout your years with us. It is hard, difficult even. You will make a name for your self. A new one. But know that you will always be the king of the household, even though you’re a thousand miles away.”

  
A different man listened to those words as he packed his miniature suitcase in a secure facility in the Citadel. That man scanned the passing crowds with paranoia marred eyes for that brunette that was more than happy to deliver a nasty scar to his lower back and called him a “traitor.”

  
Before Addison was annoying, she was standing there on the shuttle with a wry smile: “Reyes Vidal. Still keeping the same name, huh? Don’t you think that’s a little bit unintelligent?”

  
Reyes smiled: “I will never be ashamed or fearful of who I am, Director. Besides, Cerberus is a tenacious bunch, but I can’t fathom that they will follow me millions of lightyears away.”

  
He stared out of the window and into the endless night. The starry atmosphere looked so uniform, but he knew that he would never, ever stand in this very spot. He attempted to distance himself from the sadness he felt in his gut.

  
He casually lifted up his middle finger, feeling improper for doing so.

  
“Fuck you, Illusive Man,” He muttered to himself under his breath, “You didn't win. Not this time and not ever.”   
  
A small noise past the corner of his eye jolted him from his daydreaming. He turned to face them.

 

“Ryder? What the hell?” Reyes cried out in surprise.

  
“Reyes! Lynx, well, they wanted me to fetch you for our meeting. The door was unlocked so…” Ryder stammered.

  
“Oh, I- um, understand that,” Reyes sighed, “How much did you hear?”

  
Ryder approached him and pulled him closer to her: “enough to be worried.”

  
Reyes felt a pang of anger in his gut, but he dared not reach for it, understanding that Ryder had the best intentions.

  
“Reyes, you know everything about me. You’ve probably learned about Nassaria and all of the shitty committee exes I had. You probably knew about all of the loss and, I'm not trying to get pissy, I wouldn’t be surprised if you snuck a peak into my psychological profile. I-I know you know everything about me. That’s The Collective’s shtick isn’t it? But here I am madly in love with a man who I just found out had parents and siblings. All of which loved him dearly. Romance isn’t a one way street. You can’t be the rock all the time. The sooner you trust me, the sooner this unresolved tension will end. Let me take care of you, Jesus!” Ryder said frustrated.

  
Reyes raked his fingers through his dark brown hair: “Can we talk about his later? We have so much to do, Ryder! I’m being tested tight now. We both are!”  
He slid by her and headed toward the meeting room. Ignoring the sad look on her face that made him want to die a thousand deaths.

  
As the door opened he could felt secondhand the emotions stewing in her stomach. He felt guilt knowing that he was the reasoning behind it. Ryder confessed inadvertently that she was in love with him. Madly in love, even. He hoped that the love she felt will carry her through this trying time and maybe then, he would write his entire life story on the skyline and promise her a place in new stories and new adventures. He would dive into cheesy territory, knowing full well that Ryder both loathed and loved it. That is if she could possibly still want him after all of this.

* * *

  
“What’s the plan, Reyes?” Keema asked impatiently as the elite Collective members and some of Ryder’s squad converged over the black table. Ryder would follow soon after, avoiding eye contact with Reyes so purposefully, the Charlatan felt the room grow ten degrees cooler.

  
He cleared his throat: “We arrange a meeting in a public place and get Annea talking. I will take a squad of my best to work the rooftops and the restaurant itself to find any enemies prepared to make an assault. Lourn made a device that will override and send falsified reports to the enemy and receive the reports from their HQ. It’s a gamble, but we need to either find an unsuspecting cult member to place it near or even go so far as to get it close to Annea herself if we get desperate.”

“So you can get the out maneuver the enemy and have the chance to triangulate the location of a base or stronghold. Smart!” Vetra replied.

  
“Exactly. I need Captain Dunn to drop off and extract Ryder’s team near Keema’s family so that if something bad happens on our end we can have someone there to prevent anything from escalating.”

  
Jaal smiled: “no blood from the Dohrgun family will be spilt today.”

  
Reyes turned to Ryder expecting a genuine response, but she offered a curt nod before leaving to suit up.

  
He felt Lourn’s hand place something in his palm. He could see her smile almost casually as she gave the object one last once-over.

  
“Someones frosty today. What did you do this time, Reyes?” Lourn said with a smile.

  
“It’s what I didn’t do that caused all the problems.” Reyes replied.

  
“Yikes.”

  
“Tell me about it.”

  
Lourn explained: “If it’s any consolation, I looked into the stuff we got on Donnelly’s datapad and SAM’s virus scan. There are no ties to Cerberus. None of their old tricks at least. The whole concept of a new enemy to deal with is slightly terrifying, but at least I’m like 85% sure it’s not the xenophobic boogeymen that haunt your dreams at night behind the curtains.”

  
“Anything else?”

  
“Yeah, Donnelly’s data pad had some mega decryptions that are barring anymore progress. They’re good, but they’re not that good. I should be done soon, although it might be super helpful to my process if you find a goon to plant this tool near.”

  
“Thanks for giving me great news, Lourn. I’ll be back soon, but while we’re on our way, would you see if there is anything that you’d think Ryder would like coming up on the market? She’s not the type to be won back by being showered with gifts, but I think a romantic gesture wouldn’t hurt.” Reyes asked.

  
Lourn groaned: “Gee, alright. I guess. You owe me though. But you need to tell her to quit being a hard ass. She signed up for the mysterious bad boy package, she shouldn’t be so fucking pissy when you deliver on what she wanted.”

  
Reyes headed toward the shuttle and watched as eyes widened as he took to the wheel. If you wanted the job done right sometimes you must do it yourself.

 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen   
Liam Kosta

  
Tann was usually full of kind of -possibly okay- intentions. But trying to keep the team that singlehandedly brought the entire cluster together and took on a dangerous enemy in glorified hiding was the less bright of his ideas

.   
“Drax, have you tried the crisps?” Liam asked as he continued to grab hearty fistfuls of the too salty (and heavenly rationed) name brand snack from Earth.   
“Nah, too busy waiting for the ambush. The metaphorical quads to drop, so to speak.” Drax chuckled darkly.

  
Sid was going through the official channels: typing furiously and using colourful language when she was denied access to certain programs. She perked up at hearing Drax: “Don’t be so gross!”

  
“Why? Are you afraid? These assholes are like Hanar, don’t got spines: hiding behind those creepy ass masks, looking like something from a horror vid. Just make sure to stand by me when it goes sideways Sid. You’re honorary Nakmor and I’m gonna keep you safe. Unlike Liam, I can actually shoot straight.”

“Oi!” Liam shouted, his brow becoming heavy with offense.

  
Drax once again chuckled as he pulled out, his favorite knife.

  
“All that tough talk, Drax. What’ll happen when Kesh hears that you’re throwing yourself into the line of fire?” Liam asked with his mouth full: various crumbs descending from his lips.

  
“Kid, wait until you get older and have a wife and some kids of your own. Maybe then you’ll stop asking me questions like that,” Drax said with a laugh, “Vetra and Sid are good people. I look out for my own and I know you do the same.”

  
Liam sighed and racked his left hand through his curls: “Sid, anything?”

  
“No snarky comments and no info for you. Sorry, Kosta.”

  
Liam kicked at the tile and cursed to himself: “There has got to be something we’re missing! Anything on Cora’s end. Peebee’s?”

  
“They’re working some contacts in the bar. At least Cora is. Peebee is trying to go through the system like I am, but I think she’s more on Ryder/Reyes watch for the time being.” Sid responded casually.

  
“Well, that does it! I’m going to wander around the station and see what I can find. I can’t sit in this room and bitch about how I can’t do anything. I need to be out getting into trouble.” Liam said with a scoff as he collected his jacket that was thrown haphazardly on the chair.

  
As he left he heard Drax tell Sid to merely let him off to cool down, despite the various threats to his life he might encounter. Liam thought it was stupid. Who was going to attack in the middle of the Nexus on high alert, anyway? He looked around the hallway: finding no one around and made a quick call to Scott, hoping that somehow Scott would’ve found something.

  
The call didn’t go through as Liam hoped it would, sending him cursing more colourfully and pacing into the bar. Two heads were better than one and at the very least Cora would’ve found something.

  
Liam found Cora leaning up against the back wall as the music boomed through the room: sending everything shaking like an earthquake. He heard an amalgamation of voices awkwardly sloshing together before the bar counter: all demanding some of the more stronger brews on the menu.   
“This place… is terrible.” Cora said with a sour look on her face.

  
“This is what we got, Cora. It’s where people can relax and unwind. Those are two words that are probably banned from your vocabulary.” Liam retorted.  
Cora’s look was defensive: “I can relax sometimes. When I want to. I usually can’t when you and Jaal are in the picture. You two get along like a house on fire.”

  
Liam chuckled: “So, I’m guessing no news?”

  
“You’re guessing right. Scott is meeting us here though. He’s late.” Cora said with an annoyed tone.

  
Liam awkwardly turned to the door: hoping to see Scott slink in with a good excuse and a jovial expression. He had heard of Scott before, never really met him until after the whole “Archon trying to murder him and his sister thing.” Scott seemed nice enough. The kind of guy that you would have a drink with, but not exactly become best friends. Sara wavered between wanting space and wanting other’s company, whereas Scott seemed to keep everyone at a safe distance. Liam knew his type right away, even if no one believed him.  
The door opened, and Liam opened his mouth to speak, but what he saw ca

used him to immediately grab Cora and send himself near the alcohol and sweat slicked floor below.

  
Cora yelped and protested, but once she saw the cybernetic masks haunting glow under the multicoloured lights above. The immediately started firing warning shots into the ceiling above.

  
“We’ve been set up.” Liam whispered.

  
“You think?” Cora retorted, as she slowly backed up toward the wall, the glow of her biotics causing goosebumps to flare on the surface of her skin. Liam looked at her and began to ready his omni-blade, hoping that they can find someway to end this peacefully.

  
One of the men, probably the leader, grabbed a blubbering Asari by her elbow, jolting her to uneven footing.

 

  
“Will you tell me where Cora Harper is?” He asked in an almost polite tone, as he placed the gun to her temple and began to slide it down her face.   
She sobbed and closed her eyes, attempting to block him out as she began to speak: “I-I-“

  
_**Bang.**_

  
Liam watched as one of the masked men fell to the ground, causing the “leader” to immediately drop the Asari on the ground and look to the source, gun primed and ready. A near blurred figure charged for him, dropping to a roll to dodge the first fired bullet. The savior pressed his gun to the leader’s gut and pulled the trigger. Another of the henchmen spun around ready to shoot, but the savior was faster and shoved the leader’s body into the bullet’s line of fire, before firing a bullet of his own. Cora sent a biotic shockwave toward the remaining Spires of Hope causing them to fly backward into the wall with a graceless thud. The figure turned to face them and effectively dispatched two of them, leaving one alive.

  
Two Nexus officials ran into the room to face the violence, but seemed surprised that it ended as soon as it began.

  
“Take this one into interrogation. I’m sure Kandros has a lot of questions.” They asked.

  
Cora’s voice cut through the silence of the remaining patrons: “Rix?”

  
Avitus calmly placed his pistol back in it’s holster and turned to them: “My Spectre training served me well today. Are you two alright?”   
“Y-Yes, yes we are,” Liam stammered, “How did you know we were here?”

  
“I found Scott on the night of the attack. After the chaos, we discovered some alarming things in Scott’s accounts on the Nexus?”   
“Alarming, how?” Cora inquired.

  
“When Scott was comatose, his account was still active. The Nexus was in disarray so they didn’t notice small transactions coming off Scott’s accounts. All going toward seemingly random, but essential items like medicine or ammo. When Scott woke up, the money stopped, but there were emails sent that were not composed by him, meetings planned he didn’t attend, and a lot of general weirdness. We both think he was set up.” Rix said.

  
“You think it was them?” Liam asked.

  
“I have no doubt it was, but why?” Rix asked.

  
Nova suddenly emerged from the crowd of Nexus officials gathering to clear and assess the situation: “Goodness! I am glad you’re here. We received word from Kadara. They have found Sara Ryder. You need to report to Tann immediately”

  
Cora gave Liam and Avitus a worried look: “This can’t be good.”

* * *

  
Sara Ryder

  
“Anything?”

  
“Jaal, you have asked us this question at least thirty times now. I have not seen a single damn thing coming from this house.” Vetra responded with snark.   
“I apologize for being so interested in an active hostage situation that involves my people!” Jaal replied, obviously oblivious to the wry tone of Vetra’s voice.

  
“Guys, we have to be serious. If anything happens to this family, The Collective is done for. Keema and Reyes both need us.” Sara scolded.

  
“And is that why you two were acting extra icy toward each other this morning?” Vetra asked smugly.

  
Sara responded harshly: “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  
“Come on, Sara. This is getting real to you now, isn’t it? His line of work? It isn’t always cave make-out sessions and whiskey drinking nights out on the town. This shit is cold, unfeeling and violent. Reyes is cold, unfeeling, and violent. He has to be. The only thing now is what are you going to do about it?” Vetra explained.

  
“Cold, unfeeling, and violent. Ryder, is that what “bad boys” are. On Voeld, would I be considered a bad boy?” Jaal asked childishly.

  
Sara ignored Jaal’s question: “What do you mean what I am I going to do about it?”

  
“Are you going to stay with him and understand what he does, or are you going to try to domesticate him? Or are you going to drop him after this shit show? Come on, you were silent on the shuttle ride here contemplating something. I think I know what it was.” Vetra said.

  
“Fine. I still care for him. I just want him to be honest. More honest I guess. He promised me he would, but he’s got a loophole where all he does is omit.” Sara replied.

  
SAM’s voice immediately spoke: “I have scanned the immediate area and found no heat signatures or electrical energy. I do not think anyone is there.”   
“What do you mean, SAM? They set us up?” Sara asked.

  
Jaal sighed as he readied his rifle: “Only one way to find out.” 

* * *

  
?????

  
The Master’s voice grew agitated: “Is Reyes near Annea’s location?”

  
“Yes, at least was. Annea is dead and our men are swarming Collective agents on all sides.” Shaila responded.

  
“And Sara?”

  
“Sara and her squad now know the Dohrgun family was relocated. They are on intercoms with Mr. Vidal. Our team tasked with capturing Cora Harper were murdered by Pathfinder Rix, so we are still scrambling with what to do in that arena. Our main operative has an idea though. They broke our deal and I have the proof the public needs to link the Charlatan to Reyes Vidal. Let's just leak it.”

  
“We are in the final phases of our plan. We need to plan accordingly and not do anything hastily. Do you have the comm link active?” The Overseer asked.

  
Shaila smiled brightly: “It looks like we might be saved after all.” 

 

* * *

  
Sara Ryder

  
“The house is empty?!” Reyes exclaimed.

  
“We are not ghosts contacting you from the great beyond after getting blown up, so yeah. Empty.” Sara replied sarcastically.

  
“Now is not the time for humor, Sara.” Reyes scolded.

  
“Dunn is picking us up.” Sara replied dryly.

  
Suddenly, Lourn’s voice emerged from another channel: “Boss! I got the location of the compound and passed the decryption on the Data Pad. You’re not going to like the answer though.”

  
“Tell me everything.” Reyes ordered.

  
“Goddess, I will. Hold your goddamn horses, Vidal. You remember our friends The Outcasts right?” Lourn paused,” It just so happens that all of the elite of Sloane’s social circles were none too happy that you murdered Sloane and shot Kaetus in the face-“

  
Sara interjected: “You shot him in the face?”

  
Both groups could practically feel Lourn’s eye roll: “Anyways, it is all of the elite soldiers. All of them. All having a fucking rage out because they had Sloane in their pockets and all of the futures of murder, Nexus overtaking, and all that bullshit uprooted. They grab a bunch of well meaning folks with a penchant for murder and BOOM! the biggest cluster-fuck the galaxy has seen since Sara riddled the last one with bullets a couple months back. Also, they may or may not’ve discovered the locations of Collective operations and our top secret underground base and we just completely played into their hands.”  
Droxxa’s voice was audible in the background, “Reyes they’re here now. You have to end this! Everyone find a gun and some bullets.”

  
“Shit, shit, shit!” Reyes exclaimed, “I’ll get Keema out of Annea’s grasp now that we have what we need. I’ll go to the base. I’ll finish this.”   
Suddenly, Reyes’s comm line became riddled with the sounds of screams and gunfire.

  
“Reyes!”

  
Reyes’s response was muddled with static and all she could make out was: “Sara, I-. We- Come- Go-.”

  
“Reyes. Jesus. Answer me! Are you okay?!?” Sara half-screamed, feeling all of her fears crystalize in her gut, stabbing at the insides of her guts. Her breath became more frequent as her eyes felt the sting of salt.

  
Ryder felt Vetra’s hand on her shoulder: “Lourn give me the coordinates to this base. This ends now.” Sara said finally.

  
“Understood.” 

* * *

  
Sara had no recollection of ever stepping foot on the shuttle at all. She could only remember the shapes of Jaal and Vetra walking by her side: out of the corner of her eyes. Each step she took, she discarded the remnants of her spirit that grew heavier and heavier each passing second that Reyes didn’t respond. Everything was just muscle memory. Tension coiled in her gut and sent shocks through her system as she locked herself into her seat in the shuttle. She couldn't speak, she could only feel. 

  
She could hear Jaal speak to her, but she couldn’t bring herself respond. Why could she possibly focus on anything else? Her biggest fears had become realized and there was no possible way she could truly stand to it. She had felt the weakness spread through her body like a virus as the shuttle lifted off.   
Lourn had confirmed that the base was a way south of their location. This notion surprised Sara as there wasn’t a lot of locations notable in that direction that they had found in their travels. She hoped that somehow Reyes would confirm his location and survival, although she knew it sounded bad. She inhaled sharply and prepared her rifle.

  
“Pathfinder here is the base.” I suggest we pull up here to sneak in to prevent any death or injuries to the family.” Captain Dunn explained as she pulled back on her controls and landed near a large rock formation.

  
“Ryder, this entire base is surrounded by explosives. The only charted path is through the base’s line of fire.” SAM explained.

  
“Shit, Vetra, Jaal, Dunn any suggestions?” Sara asked.

  
“Maybe we could rush them at night fall?” Captain Dunn suggested.

  
“We are under a time crunch. Why not try a diversion?” Vetra asked.

  
“What do you mean?” Sara inquired.

  
“I’m thinking if they want the Human Pathfinder? What if we gave you to them?” Vetra said.

  
“I see, what if Lourn faked an emergency transmission that lured a shuttle over to our location? Then we attack and use their shuttle?”   
“A Trojan horse.” Sara said with a smile.

  
“Lourn, we need your expertise.” Sara said confidently.

  
“Already on it, Pathfinder. Let’s get this family back.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AVITUS IS A BAD ASS FOR THE WIN!!!!
> 
> (not that we didn't know he could be ;) )


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen  
The Spires of Hope Compound

  
Melva

  
Melva knew a lot about the world. It could be good. It could be bad. Often times those overlapped. Her Auntie would tell her this regularly whenever she wasn’t busy enough with her job. Melva didn’t know what her job was, but the scary men seemed to know her. They seemed to not like her because of it. This made Melva rather sad, because her Auntie was especially nice to her.

  
The men had not seen them since they were thrown into the dark room. Melva and her mothers couldn't exactly tell what the colour of the walls were, but they danced between a smokey grey and midnight black. It wasn’t until she spent ages staring at those walls that she discovered that she and her family had nothing to eat. Her youngest mother became too weak to cry after what seemed like days in the darkness. Her family had talked amongst themselves about their fears of going dark. But even though Melva couldn’t tell how long she had been there, she knew it couldn’t have been that long. Her Auntie was going to storm through that door in any minute and save them all. Maybe then her Papa would see why Auntie Keema was her hero.

  
“Melva, would you come over here to tend to your brother?” One of her mothers asked.

  
“Of course.” She whispered hoarsely as she crawled over on her hands and knees. She felt the concrete below her, so cool to the touch in the darkness.

  
“We don’t have much time.” Her father said from across the room, his words angry and with a hint a fear.

  
“Shh, we don’t know who's out there. Or who is listening. You don’t want us to get hurt do you?” Another voice replied.

  
Melva picked up her brother and held him tightly like her old teddy. She always held it close when she felt scared after nightmares and noise after nightfall.   
‘Please, let us out.’ She screamed inside her mind, the safe space where no one could hear her cry.

  
She felt her brother heave as tears began to fall on her exposed arms. She had heard an alarm ring out from a distant place and could’ve sworn she heard feet running to and fro outside. Roars of man made thunder began to rumble too, causing gasps of alarm throughout their room.

  
‘I can’t be strong forever.’

* * *

 

Reyes

  
Keema was a woman of many talents. Script writing was now apparently one of them.

  
Reyes insisted on driving the shuttle, patting away the various pilots that had navigated the scourge and rode through the secret battles that would begin under Kadara’s unrelenting sun. There was organization to driving a shuttle. A rhythm and specific ways you could make the steel cage dance.

  
“So, should I emerge distraught about my missing family or should I ask Annea to just spill it out? Which one sounds more like me?” Keema asked as she sat in the back, insisting on speaking loudly so that every one of her subordinates could hear her and pitch in.   
Lynx sighed: “shouldn’t you know which one sounds like you?”

  
“Both!” said another.

  
“Great idea,” Keema cried out,” You, give me your name. Give me your name and I shall promote you. Reyes won’t you promote them?”

  
“Keema,” Reyes began, feeling a pang of regret at how quickly this was tearing her apart: “I will do anything to have this end with your family back, but you need to stay calm and think this through, okay? I know this is probably the most difficult thing you’ve ever done. The sooner we snuff these guys out, the better.”

  
Keema took deep breathes one right after another and sighed: “I understand. Now all of you, we need to find out how to get the most out of Annea so we don’t need that device. From the top!”

  
Reyes sighed as he watched the world pass him by from the comfort of his dashboard. He couldn’t believe there was a time that the problems he drove away from where so miniscule.

 

* * *

  
Reyes (Cont.)

  
He had set himself up on the perch right across from the cafe. He had placed his gun in a paper lunch bag, and pretended to enjoy eating a bland sandwich, despite the fact that he lacked the appetite to even eat the smallest of meals. He had heard comm chatter between agents as he monitored the two Angarans sitting at the bench.

  
They exchanged pleasantries before Keema went in for the kill: “Where are my family, Annea?”

  
Annea smiled grimly: “I have no idea what you’re talking about, old friend.”

  
“Stop playing dumb. You know why I am here, yeah? You know that what you're doing here with the Spires of Hope makes you no better than the people that killed your brother! The eldest child, Melva, is no older than nine! You're scaring her and traumatizing my family! For what purpose?" 

  
Lynx told him via another comm system: “Found who seems to be an agent of the Spires of Hope. Put the transmitter by them and it’s picking up a signal. Lourn is downloading the information now. It’ll take a couple of minutes.”

  
“I knew I could count on you, Lynx. Thank you. Keep on them. Don’t let the signal drop.

  
He heard the call come in from Ryder and knew that something was wrong. He braced himself for impact.

  
….........................................

  
Reyes ran down toward Keema, unsure of what exactly happened before his very eyes. The comms between them ceased and then… Absolute chaos.   
He heard Lynx’s distinct rifle firing away at an unknown target as the rush of bodies from passerby's flooded the streets with their collective terror.   
“Keema!” he cried out for her, but couldn’t see her anywhere among the passing faces.

  
What he remembered was seeing them side by side and then just gunfire. The escalation was too fast for him to catch. To make matters worse, he had no idea what Ryder was doing nor what was happening on base.

  
“Boss!” Lynx screamed as they ran over to him, “we’ll head back to the base and fight them off, does Keema need medical attention?”

  
“I don’t know,” Reyes replied dejectedly, “I still haven’t found her.”

  
“Do you think they took her, Sir?” Lynx asked, before both them and Reyes turned their heads to a person yelping for aid.

  
He ran through the clouds of smoke and dirt that made is lungs ached and his eyes water. He found Keema: covered in blood and tears, but very much alive.   
He kneeled by her side.

  
“Annea is dead. I don’t know what happened. Reyes, I don’t know what happened. I-I just, she told me they were going to die. S-She told me I couldn't save you or them or anyone. I pulled the gun, I had to, I'm so, so sorry.” Keema said frantically as her eyes became pried open with terror and sadness.

  
She reached out for him and pulled herself semi-upright: the right side of her face was covered with the blood that used to run through Annex’s system.   
Reyes wanted to ask her if she was alright, but already knew the answer. She was far from okay.

  
He picked her up and threw her limp arm over his shoulder and walked her through the streets and toward the shuttle. Lynx immediately followed suit, albeit on Keema’s other side. Ensuring that her feet did not scrape against the ground below them.

  
“We have a difficult choice to make boss.”

  
“I know, Lynx,” agreed Reyes, “but we need to assess the damages.”

  
Reyes entered the shuttle and found his most trusted crew members all looking at him with a sense of discomfort.

  
One of his support from the very beginning of The Collective, Brienne stood up: “Boss, it’s not the Spires of Hope attacking our main base… It’s the Nexus.”  



	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryder finds out the truth, but does she have the time to save her world from crumbling down?

Chapter Fifteen  
3 Hours Earlier  
Cora Harper

  
“Tann listen to me. This is crazy! I have it on -ahem- good authority that the Collective would never kidnap the Pathfinder. You need to call of the attack!” Cora cried as she trailed behind the pacing Salarian.

  
“I have to make the important decisions. These people want their Pathfinder back and I have to make it happen! Especially since key Nexus officials were also kidnapped during the assault. You think I want to declare war on our ally?” Tann replied.

  
Cora took a step back, allowing the anger she felt to resonate on her face: “Oh, so we’re going to act like you wanted this alliance to begin with? Is that how we’re going to play this now?”

  
“Cora, stand down.” Tann replied.

  
The doors buzzed open and Director Addison walked through, annoyed as per usual: “Who ordered this assault? I know damn well that I didn’t, along with the three other directors have not had our say! I even have it on good authority that the Moshae is absolutely livid.”

  
Tann looked puzzled: “I don’t answer to you. I answer to them.”

  
He pointed to the hallway where people ran to and fro from their varying stations.

  
Tann continued: “We have images of people in Collective armor with Sara Ryder! People want an end to this communication blackout. If we assert our authority on the Collective, we get our Pathfinder back and we get details on how far into our systems they’ve hacked. This could take weeks and give us a backlog of valuable resources. We were already hungry to begin with!”

  
Addison gave him a look: “Pictures potentially doctored or taken out of context! You ordered that blackout. Just like you ordered grueling interrogations of party guests. Just like you pushed the Krogan off the Nexus!”

  
“Oh please save me from your bleeding heart, Director Addison. Stand down! Both of you!” Tann said firmly.

  
Addison gestured for Cora to follow her and Cora responded in kind as they left the room. Cora began to follow Addison wordlessly through the throngs of workers scurrying between the communications and militia areas for last minute supplies.

  
She noticed Kandros standing outside of it, looking like hell as his officers headed toward the shuttle.

  
“Director, I thought you’d be leading the charge?” Cora asked, while she beckoned him to follow.

  
“I was supposed to, but I’ve never seen Tann so livid. He’s on a warpath. Some of my soldiers decided to risk being stripped of rank by refusing to leave. They have family on the other side, you know? The others didn’t want to risk losing their jobs and potentially getting exiled because Tann was in a shitty mood.” Kandros explained.

  
“I get it and I’m sorry.” Cora replied.

  
They continued to walk in silence to Peebee’s apartment: the only place where they could really speak without being listened to. Liam had left to grab the others for the meeting. Kallo and Gil were off killing each other during the long weekend over Tempest repairs and keeping the ship safe from potential threats and had offered to follow any potential plans that might be in the works as long as they could monitor the ship. Dr. Lexi found their determination amusing, but quite possessive, although Cora appreciated the peace of mind.

  
They entered the apartment and found a very excited (and still very bed bound) Peebee, The Pathfinders, The remaining crew, and Scott Ryder.  
They all stood around Peebee and looked more like concerned friends, instead of people conspiring treason. Scott was the only one that broke formation: opting to stand in the back of the room, away from the tight knit bodies clumped together.

  
“I got a signal!” Peebee cried as their data pads and other devices began to chime in with an overflow of non-emergency information and emails.  
Liam looked at his data-pad: “Got something from Suvi. Re- “The Charlatan,” He corrected, “Has Sara and all of them. Apparently Keema’s family was kidnapped and their too afraid to return to the Nexus in case any officials are in on it.”

  
Addison sighed: “That’s a smart worry to have. One of my own was killed in the night club fight. I had no idea. I don’t think I could even suggest a suspect.”  
“So, Sara and my sister are helping them with a hostage crisis and staying off the grid, but the Nexus is being fed information that, when put together with what’s happening at face value, it looks really bad.” Sid said, attempting to piece it all together.

  
“I saw that ransom letter. It detailed all the ways that the Charlatan was going to torture Sara Ryder.” Kandros replied.

  
“Which is bullshit considering their relationship. Can we all agree?” Peebee replied.

  
Cora nodded: “I don’t need Dr. Lexi’s intellect on the subject to tell me that The Charlatan is a shady bastard that is loyal to his people. Sara got them to where they are today. It makes no sense that they would try to do something so regressive.”

  
Addison sighed: “We can stand here and talk about how difficult and how wrong Tann is or we can make a plan to save the Pathfinder with zero bloodshed.”  
Vederia concurred: “We need to get off this station, but the Tempest is on lockdown.”

  
Addison smiled: “I read the story of how the Normandy was unshackled before the Battle of the Citadel. As much as I would like to sock Tann in the face, I know how to get in there without bloodshed. I can undo the lockdown, but not for a long period of time.”

  
“My people are going to want to get the job done, especially APEX. I’ll come with you and try to convince my men to stand down.” Kandros replied.

  
“I can help with that,” Sid said with a devilish grin, as she typed away on her data-pad.

  
Drax stood behind her and laughed: “Oh this’ll be good.”

  
Raeka turned to Rix and Vederia who both nodded in response: “We’ll come with you. If the fight gets hairy or if we’re needed elsewhere, we’ll follow.”

  
Drax began to play with his tech as the discussion continued.

  
Scott took a step forward: “Let’s face it though, we’re being watched. Addison, probably, in particular. The second she drops lockdown, there will likely be others looking to escape the station. The second they do who knows what they’ll do. We have to be ready.”

  
“Or on the flip side,” Vederia offered, “Those that do not want us to follow the militia and potentially harm Addison for making her attempt.”

  
“Pu-lease. I assure you I know how to take care of myself.” Addison retorted.

  
“If any one of us is seen with Addison, it might look suspicious. Especially if she is heading toward the lock-down room.”

  
Drax held up his device and the person on the other line spoke: “It wouldn’t be if a fellow director was with her.”

  
Cora smiled: “Kesh, long time no see.”

  
“I received Ryder’s email about a man falsifying records and pretending to be one of mine. I want to warn you that we do have a turncoat in our midsts. I suggest we make Peebee’s apartment home base. There is no way that man could’ve been on the station or in the party if someone wasn’t vouching for him.” Kesh continued.

  
“Great, we have a spy to worry about.” Peebee responded sarcastically.

  
“Alright,” Addison said, “Let’s get you the hell of this station.”

  
Liam smiled wickedly: “I’ll go tell Kallo.”

 

* * *

  
Sara Ryder

  
Sara breathe was heavy and frantic as she lowered her rifle. The “rescue” party was dead and it was time for phase two. Sara slid on the mask over her eyes after offering another to Dunn. Apparently their saviors were all humanoid in appearance, after all. Dunn started the flight program and phoned back in, lying about the mission report. Sara even offered grunts and threats for good measure.

  
Captain Dunn dropped comms and turned to Ryder: “Are you ready?”

  
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Ryder said with a smile as the shuttle pulled into the garage.

  
Two workers approached the shuttle from either side and proceeded to bang against the metal.

  
Dunn readied her mask as Vetra and Jaal slide toward the back: guns primed and ready to fire.  
Sara opened the doors.

  
“Welcome back, Brian-“

  
Sara slammed the butt of her gun into the unsuspecting woman’s face, causing her to collapse onto the ground.

  
The other worker ran toward the emergency alarms, but Jaal reacted faster and shot him in the back of the skull. Vetra threw the two of them into the shuttle, while Dunn locked it.

  
“We won't have much time. They’ll recognize Jaal and Vetra as soon as we get close to the Dohrgun’s.” Dunn whispered as she readied her pistol.

  
“So we don’t give them the time.” Sara said with a determined grimace as they pressed onward.

  
“If I were an imprisoned family, where would I be?” Vetra asked herself.

  
“SAM any input?” Sara asked.

  
“The family seems to be on the lowest level. Updating your nav.” SAM replied.

  
Vetra and Jaal proceeded to both sides of the door and unlocked it, noticing two Spires members at the far end of the hall. Sara charged forward and biotically threw them backward into the wall, while Vetra approached from Sara’s left with two precise bullets that pierced their chests.

  
“Excellent shot!” Jaal cried out.

  
They continued forward, noting the eery quietness of the first floor.

  
“I think we got them at dinner time.” Sara retorted as they approached the stairwell.

  
Footsteps echoed from above, inching closer and closer to their position.

  
Sara gestured to the lower staircase and the squad followed suit.

  
What they found at the bottom was a rust covered door that made a wheezing sound that showcased it’s age as it pried itself open for them to pass.  
The room before them now was a large and rectangular from where they were standing. There was a narrow path leading to the door on the opposing side, but the rest of the room was filled with boxes upon boxes. Sara took a step forward. She walked to the door, ignoring the flicker of the light above her head. She turned to find Jaal attempting to follow her, but waved him to stay. She heard a groan from the side of the room and struggled to tell if it came from a human in repose or from the various wooden boxes.

  
She pulled out her scanner, feeling the dread rise in her guts, although she was trained to feel no dread.

  
“SAM,” she whispered, “Anything?”

  
SAM responded in private: “Your scanner isn’t picking anything up, but-“

  
A bullet emerged from the side of the room, causing Ryder to throw herself onto the floor and her squad to charge into the room.

  
She peaked her head out to find the turian assailant firing aimlessly in her direction, before taking a bullet in the neck by Jaal. His throat ripped open on impact causing blood to spray down the sides of the boxes and onto the wall behind him.

  
Ryder crawled to the door and opened it, finding a group of them taking position behind more boxes that cluttered the hallway. Vetra charged for Ryder: unleashing a storm of bullet in their general direction.

  
Sara threw a grenade at their position, causing the Spires of Hope to be thrown back into the wall behind them. She charged toward the boxes and slid into cover, taking out the only one still breathing.

  
“SAM are we close to their location?”

  
“Pathfinder, if you continue following the nav, you will eventually come across the command center. This could yield an advantage to those fighting the Spires of Hope.” SAM replied.

  
Sara reloaded her ammo and nodded to herself: “This could get messy, but we could shut this shit down now.”

  
Sara followed the nav point and entered through a door on the far right side of the room. The door opened and as she continued down the path, she saw monitors hooked up and relaying various points on the Nexus on Kadara. She saw a young couple on a bench entwined as they read through their reports. She saw a young woman jogging down the streets of Kadara, avoiding eye contact with the locals as she clutched a bag of unseen items. The light and movement from the TV flooded the floor below them. As the continued forward, they noticed emails amongst colleagues across the Nexus being broadcast on their systems. Sara's eyes widened. 

  
“Spirits, they have eyes everywhere.” Vetra gasped.

 

Sara walked by the door indicated by the nav-point and it automatically opened. Sara turned to see an Asari sitting on a desk chair with a devilish smile and a sparkle in her eye.

  
“Come in, we’ve been expecting you.” She said.

  
“Yeah, I’d rather not.” Sara countered.

  
“If you don’t, I’ll have an entire squadron riddle the entire Dohrgun family with bullets. Also,” she gestured to the monitor, “I will drop the bombshell about your boyfriend being the Charlatan.”

  
“Well, shit.” Dunn cursed.

  
“I am Shaila. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Shaila said, before tilting the monitor in her direction, “to be fair. I was surprised when I found out Reyes was the Charlatan. I didn’t expect the Charlatan to be that young. I imagined a stuffy unattractive old human getting his rocks off to ruining Sloane Kelly’s day.”

  
Sara took a step closer: “What the hell do you want?”

  
A voice came from the other side of the room: “What does anyone want, Pathfinder?”

  
The figure got up from their seat and moved closer to her. In the light she could see them clearly: an Angaran woman older than most. A face Sara did not recognize.

  
“Peace,” This person continued, “We want peace. But underneath the surface, we demand power, we demand loyalty, love…”

  
Sara immediately thought of Reyes. She closed her eyes and begged anyone that was listening that he was alive. That he was unhurt.

  
“You. I know you. You were the former mayor of Kadara! Yaziri Def!” Jaal cried out.

  
“Indeed, I was. The Kett swarmed our post and killed hundreds in mere days. Leaving us exposed like an open wound to the Milky Way infection.”  
Sara noticed Shaila flinch to Yaziri’s brutal verbal attack.

  
“I tried reasoning with them, but the Archon was far beyond hope and reach. He wanted the relics of those before us. I just wanted peace. There is a chance that we can fix this. Your people are growing anxious, Ryder. They are looking toward new leadership, surely you do not respect Tann? Something tells me that the fact that you cannot establish a comm link to the Milky Way is trying to be suppressed by all officials.” Yaziri continued.

  
“The Milky Way as we knew it is gone. Anyone that thinks otherwise is beyond hope.” Vetra snapped.

  
“Really,” Shaila asked, “We were sold false dreams and false hope. If we turn back now, we can find out what happened to our home galaxy and help rebuild. You always speak of the fact that we are the best and brightest the Milky Way offered. But why aren’t we helping the Milky Way? Why aren't we helping our own?”

  
Sara looked to Vetra and Vetra back at her: “That was pure and utter stupidity. You want to murder me, my boyfriend, and pretty much everyone we care about, because you’re homesick?”

  
“I want the option to return home. I want the option for we, the denizens of the system, to have a say in your decisions because I am sick of having incompetent buffoons like Tann, Addison, even you make decisions that effect everyone. Where was my vote when you decided to allow Reyes Vidal control of Kadara? Where was our opinion taking into consideration when you kept hundreds of people on ice because you preferred scientific research centers to military bases? You have gotten people killed! You’ve affected people’s lives based on your choices. We are sick and tired of being spoken over. If it means that I must destroy you and the Nexus to have it my way, then so be it!” Shaila replied.

  
Yaziri laughed: “The less of you polluting my planet, the better. Besides,” she said as she pulled out her gun: “Keema owes me a debt.”

The blackened walls around them suddenly became lively with hidden movement. A wave of blue masks began to spread throughout the room, leaving none of the surrounding areas unmarred by their eerie blue glow. They were beasts in repose. As they marched forward, Ryder couldn't help but imagine every disappointed face she had seen on the Nexus. Friends, colleagues, anyone, just lunging for her. She thought up every moment she was alone to her thoughts and counted on each star the Tempest whizzed by that she was spared for this very moment. 

She imagined herself as Sloane taking the bullet in the back and shook the very thought out of her head as soon as it emerged. She needed no reminders of that moment laying waste to her mind. 

  
Sara dove out of the way of Yaziri’s bullets as more Spires of Hope members swarmed the room. Their masks illuminating the dark corners as they readied their weapons.

  
“How many people are we talking about here?” Sara cried out as she returned fire.

“Too many!” Jaal replied as he took out two members preparing to toss grenades.

  
Sara and her squad threw monitors off of their desks to create makeshift shields. The bullets were whizzing above them from varying directions as each member inched closer and closer, attempting to swarm the Pathfinder’s team from all sides in an attempt to suppress them.

  
Sara fired bullets into a member vaulting over another desk table, before aiming her gun at Shaila who promptly created a biotic shield.

  
Sara slid a grenade in her general direction, causing her to fly into a cluster of monitors. Vetra took the opportunity to wound Shaila further with continued bullet fire.

  
Jaal continued to fire at the various members each attempting to break their formation.

  
Shaila’s voice was strained and husky: “We will keep coming! There’s no end to our hope. Your bullets only make us stronger in spirit.”

  
“Well judging by all the blood that’s coming out of you, they certainly don’t seem to be doing the job!” Vetra replied.

  
Sara heard the doors open behind her and saw a projectile fly above her eyes and explode: causing damage to the members crazy enough to attempt a frontal assault.

  
A figure slide up beside her: “Sorry I’m late, my love. I was busy on the job.”

  
“Reyes. Why aren’t you fighting with at the base? Enemies literally are potentially swarming the ones you care about.” Sara asked as she took out another charging member.

  
“We wanted to ensure the safety of the Dohrgun clan and, of course, your safety,” Reyes replied cooly, “Lynx and their team are getting the family to safety.”  
“Good.” Replied Sara as she aimed her gun at Yaziri and fired, hitting her in the shoulder.

  
“I missed fighting alongside you.” Sara confessed as she continued to fire into a charging krogan.

  
“Thanks, I suppose,” Reyes laughed, “But let’s save the romantic sentimentality for when we’re not trying to die.”

"That's not what you said in that goddamn closet!" Ryder countered as she shot another member.

  
Sara watched as he positioned his aim for Yaziri’s head and squeezed the trigger.

After the last man fell, Sara stood victorious and wiped the sweet from her brow. 

Vetra grimmaced as she stretched her lanky limbs: "Reyes, you ready to scrub all of these assholes dirt on you and the Nexus?" 

One of Reyes's elite opened his bag and presented the group with the sand like substance that, only yesterday, nearly killed Sara. 

"We'll need to check in with Lourn to ensure that everything is completely erased, but tanking their systems with this will be a good start. Let's get to work."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Goddamn it, I love these guys.

Chapter Sixteen

  
Peebee

  
It was difficult to see the team play hero without her, but Peebee had no hard feelings. The only thing that made her feel remotely bad was the worrying. Something she did not sign up for, especially because of her whole “I want to do things along, because I am a loner with emotional attachment issues” thing. It’s something she still had to deal with, but Dr. Lexi would always tell her in the most _**annoying**_ way possible that the first way to solve your problem, was to find out what the problem was.

  
Dr. Lexi was standing in the kitchen: making some odd smelling vile thing that Peebee would be forced to eat later. Even the mere thought of the potentially slimy consistency shook Peebee to the core.

  
She stared at the Doctor’s back, before asking: “Who do you think the informant is?”

  
“That’s a rather odd question,” Dr Lexi remarked, “I would maybe suggest it might be someone that was isolated from us. Maybe someone that wanted to work alongside us, but couldn’t.”

  
“So you’re thinking it’s Scott then?” Peebee asked bluntly.

  
“What? No! I have his profile. He endured a traumatic eye transplant and handled intense bullying because of it. Are those the reasons behind a villain in a Blasto flick? Of course. But in real life. Absolutely not. Besides, the boy is sensitive and protective of his sister.” Lexi explained.

  
“Sure.” Peebee remarked, unconvinced.

  
The door began to unlock and Lexi sighed: “Remember, when the Nexus officials ask, that we don’t know what happened, okay?” She said as she approached the door.

  
But as Lexi did, the familiar sound of bullets invaded Peebee’s ears. Peebee forced the couch to fall backwards. Her ankle smashed against the hard ground, causing a cry like a wounded animal to emerge from her lips. Peebee clasped her hands together as if she were huddling for warmth, but couldn’t muster the strength to perform any biotic skill.

  
“Lexi?” She called out weakly.

  
No response.

  
Panic flooded every inch of Peebee’s frame as she attempted to pull herself to safety.

“There is nowhere to go, Peebee. Accept it and die.” The shooter said.

  
“It’s you,” Peebee remarked, " you’re the mole.”

  
Nova stood above Peebee like a victor in a boxing match and laughed: “Don’t act so surprised.”

  
“Everything, everything makes sense now. You weaseled your way into Tann’s circle. We thought you were climbing the ladder, but really…” Peebee began.   
The french woman laughed: “Oh honey, you were very off the mark. Now answer me this, because I’ve always wanted to know: what’s it like knowing that know one will know how you died?”

  
Suddenly, Nova was yanked forward and forced on the floor. Peebee heard the furious panting.

  
Dr. Lexi emerged from the kitchenette, her face seething with rage Peebee never would have assumed Dr. Lexi possessed: “How does it feel to know that you just broke my sacred rule: don’t fuck with my patients!”

  
Dr. Lexi bionically flung Nova across the room one more time before charging toward the mole and punching her in the jaw causing Nova to collapse on the floor with a mighty thud. Dr. Lexi remained enraged for a split second before allowing her breath to slow and her body language to calm. She smoothed out her doctor’s uniform.

  
She smiled: “Peebee, that must’ve hurt. Let me get you some medicine, yeah?” 

 

* * *

  
Cora Harper

  
“This is the coordinates for the Collective base.” Kandros stated as they landed.

  
Cora almost chuckled at his dry and obvious commentary about the subject. It was oh so clear with the amounts of Nexus soldiers readying their rifles that this was indeed the place.

  
“Pull us in, Kallo. We need to get between the base and the officials, but it won’t be a cakewalk.”

  
Kallo blinked: “Understood, Gil?”

  
Gil groaned: "I don't ever want to be in close proximity to you. I'd much rather have the Spires of whatever tossers take the Tempest for a joyride than argue with you about shield boosters.

  
Cora rolled her eyes: “Is everything in place, Sid?”

  
Sid smiled: “Yes, M’am.”

  
Drax chuckled: “hundreds of quads will drop today because of my honorary Nakmor clan friend here. I’ll be sure to find you something nice, like a doll or a bottle of turian whiskey.”

  
Liam blinked: “maybe try to find the gift that’s somewhere in the middle of that. She is like what? Seventeen?”

  
Sid sighed: “Come on, the Collective aren’t going to save themselves.”

* * *

 

  
The team emerged from the landing pad and noticed every gun from the Nexus side became trained on them.

  
Kandros’s replacement, a human male named Snow, stepped forward and laughed: “You just got me officially promoted.”

  
Kandros was unamused: “Forgive me if I forgot the expensive wine.”

  
“We’re going to need all of your men to stand down!” Vederia said bluntly.

  
“On who’s authority?” Snow asked: his deep black eyes glimmering under the rays of the unending sun.

  
“All of ours, Sir.” Cora said gesturing back to those behind her.

  
“We know that the Collective are innocent. The Nexus is being set up by a mole.”

  
“Ridiculous!” Snow cried out before erupting into a fit of laughter. He turned to his underlings, but they, like the Tempest team, were not laughing either. He stopped abruptly.

  
“You don’t really think I can ignore a direct order just because the girls and boy scouts teamed up to form a daisy chain around the hive of criminals?” Snow asked.

  
Two large shuttles broke through the atmosphere above like violent and brilliant lightning before both hovering above the crowd. All eyes were cast toward the endless blue sky, as the shuttle began to dock.

  
The first one, covered in sand, opened and out emerged Morda: looking determined and as angry as ever.

  
Drax began to chuckle to himself once more, because apparently this plan he and Sid concocted was just really, really, funny. Liam awkwardly chuckled as he balanced his weight on the balls of his heels: back and forth and back and forth. This habit annoyed Cora to no end.

  
Morda took a step closer to Snow, causing Snow to motion for his underlings to pull out their guns.

  
“Oh please,” Morda said dismissively, “You guys are really making Drax and I belly laugh.”

  
“What do you want, Krogan?” Snow inquired.

  
“My name is Morda. Learn it or I’ll make you scream it as I crack your skull underneath by boot heel. Got it? This Pathfinder team. This Pathfinder in particular, has done more for my clan in one day than the Nexus has in months. Declaring war on her ally will be declaring war on New Tuchanka!” Morda stated.

  
Snow was taken aback. His eyes widened as he looked toward his soldiers: “Where is Sara Ryder? How do you know that she wouldn’t want us to stomp out the Collective like a vermin they are.

  
A voice cried out: “Because she’s right here!”

  
Cora turned to find Sara, Vetra, Jaal and Dunn emerge from the other shuttle: stomping through the sand that became caked on their armored boots.   
“Hello, Morda. It’s good to see you.” Sara said politely to the Krogan to her right.

  
Morda turned to her and smiled: “Oh, I’m glad to see you too, Nexus. Although I must add that I was disappointed I didn’t get the invite to Tann’s little shindig.”

  
“It was kind of a bore anyway.” Sara bantered back dismissively.

  
Morda looked around at all of the troops and at the bases’s entrance behind her: “Sure seems like it.”

  
Sid interrupted: “I got an angry message from Evfra, as well. He said he couldn’t make it because he had actual better things to do. But he also wanted to declare war if that’ll get you guys to stop.”

  
Snow’s face was that of disgust as he turned his back to them, as if he couldn’t stomach to see them anymore.

  
He began to wave his right hand furiously: “Call it off! Call it off!”

  
Liam eyes were widened and his expression was flabbergasted: “I think we just won, guys.”

  
Kandros watched the troops retreat with an unamused expression: “Hey, do you think this means I have my job back?”


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The finale chapter! Hope you liked the story as a whole, it was so fun to write!

Chapter Seventeen  
Reyes Vidal

  
That day Reyes watched proudly as Keema escorted her family off of the shuttle. Melva insisted on sitting next to her Auntie as she and her siblings pressed their faces against the windows: hoping to soak in the sun that hovered in the cloud covered sky.

  
He couldn’t help but smile as Melva stared out into the uneven landscape: rock formations branching out from the dirt looking more jagged teeth and twisted bone.

  
“It’s pretty!” She exclaimed, as she picked up her youngest brother so he could see to.

  
“Auntie Keema, will you stay with us? Will you? I want to show you all of my new toys! I like the ones my mommies got me, but the gun toy you got me is my most favorite!”

  
Keema laughed: “Maybe, but only if you eat all of your dinner and if your parents allow it.”

  
Reyes looked out the window for what seemed like the first time in months and took it in for himself.

  
He looked over his shoulder and found Ryder sitting there. Her face was damp with sweat from the heat of battle, but she insisted on being with him. She looked into his eyes and smiled He felt relief was over his skin as he turned to his console. There was hope for them yet.

-Some Days Later-

When you are paid to be amongst the people and relaying information, your eavesdropping skills becoming the stuff of legends. Reyes knew this for a fact as he listened in on a conversation outside the infirmary.

  
“You sure about this, Scott?” Sara asked.

  
“Pathfinder Rix asked for me especially since we worked together during the Spires of Hope crisis. He’s a good man, sis. I feel like I belong on his squad.” Scott explained.

  
“Then, I’ll file that paperwork away asap. Stay safe.” She replied.

  
“We’re Ryders. You know I won’t.”

  
Peebee had said that the mole had attacked them that night. Although Dr. Lexi swore up and down that she never meant “Nova” death, Nova had died in the Nexus infirmary.

  
Reyes stood outside the infirmary, wishing he was a smoker so he could at least occupy himself as he waited for Ryder to reemerge. He felt disgusted by the Nexus’s pristine white walls that encased him. Sure it was safer than Kadara, but cages are always the safest place for a creature to be. Only when you thrust yourself into the unknown, into the danger, that you are close to finding who you truly are. Reyes knew this better than anyone he knew.

  
He felt Sara come up behind him: her hand slid into his as she led him into the room. He had to know if it was here. He needed that closure.

  
The body was mostly concealed by a thin white sheet that matched the woman’s lifeless and mute skin colour in death. Her mouth was a gape and her eyes were closed. Her hair: dark and curly was a lion’s mane around her sharp jawline. Her hair looked different, but the face was still the same.

  
“Suicide, didn't want to be interrogated.” Ryder stated.

  
“I knew her, Ryder. Once upon a time,” Reyes said bluntly, “Can we speak somewhere in private?”

  
He pulled the sheet over her face and walked out faster than he came in, hoping that the drinks that would flood and burn the inside of his

throat in the future, could water log the memory of seeing her dead body.

  
Ryder had led him wordlessly to the Tempest and into her quarters. He looked around the room, admiring it’s vastness and remarking about how comparable it was to the size of his apartment back home. He sat down on the bed.

  
“I’m sorry, Ryder. I didn’t want you to know. It’s just complicated.” Reyes began, avoiding her concerned expression.

  
“Reyes,” Ryder replied as she sat beside him, “I’m sorry I lashed out at you. If you’re not ready for this, I understand if you don’t want to tell me.”   
Reyes shook his head: “You deserve to know, Ryder,” he chuckled, “I’m a hacked man, remember?”   
“When I lived in the Milky Way, I wasn’t the man I wanted to be was my father. He was wealthy. He had influence. I had to follow in his footsteps, if I didn’t, I would be nothing. Only my last name proved who my parentage was, but I wanted my actions to prove it too.”  
Ryder chuckled: “My father was the same way. For six months he woke Scott and I up early to do what he called “Pre-Alliance training. He knew somehow both Scott and I would end up in the military, and he knew that our name would place a target on our back. He would often tell us that when the best recruit aims to do 100 push-ups, we must aim for 125. We always had to be better. Being nothing short of excellent would place more of a target on our back, then being his children ever could.”

  
“I wanted to thrive, but on my own terms. I would go to Omega and through money at anyone that was willing to take me even remotely seriously. We’d go out and smuggle for some of the small time gangs. I knew Zia from this period in my life,” He laughed wistfully, “I even knew Allia- Nova- in this period, too. We were small crew, that grew at most to be six people at most, but we very quickly attracted the attention of a small time organization that wanted to transport what we assumed to be counterfeit credit, fenced items, whatever, to colonies throughout the systems. Our usual stuff. But one day, Zia got curious,” he took a deep breath to steady himself, “we found bodies that were heavily modified by Geth on Eden Prime. We drilled the man who made the call and discovered that he needed a small, but reliable crew to deliver important packages for Cerberus.”

  
“The human first company?” Ryder asked.

  
“Yes, we delivered it to the receiver as promised, but they didn’t count on us overpowering their people and retrieving a treasure trove of illegal documents among other things.”

  
“Did you give it to the Alliance? To the Council?” Ryder inquired.

  
“We delivered only to the highest bidder,” Reyes replied before continuing, “I bowed out of my smuggling work after we began selling our information to small time governments, unethical companies on Noveria, and Cerberuses enemies. I worked as an agent for the Shadow Broker and I assumed he would protect me. If I hadn’t found out through my job that my crew was starting to be picked off one by one by Cerberus workers, I would probably not be alive to recount his story. It turns out, Allia was feeding Cerberus information the entire time, she knew my family came from money and thought that she could somehow make Cerberus’s losses easier to bare with a new financier: my father.”

  
Reyes sighed, “I kept in distant contact with my father initially, but after warning him about Allia and Cerberus, I dropped of the grid entirely. I ended up working for the Blue Suns under an alias. When word began to spread about Cerberus’s slight presence on Omega, I immediately ran to my father like the scared child I was. My father made some calls and threw me into the Andromeda program. It was his last gift to me.”

  
Ryder embraced him tightly: “Reyes, I don’t know what to say. I’m so, so sorry.”

  
Reyes held her: “It’s alright, Sara. You were my silver lining,” he looked into her eyes, “My work with the Collective is important to me. I will fight for my people and die for them, even though I know how much that fact upsets you. My work with the Collective makes me happy, but you make me sane, Sara.”   
Sara smiled blissfully: “I want to make you happy.”

  
My happiness would increase if we continued what happened in that waiting room at the party.” His tone was flirtatious and deep.

  
Ryder laughed: “I think I have some time to spare.”

* * *

???

“Ryder bought Yaziri as the mole. How dull.” The Asari stated bluntly to herself as she typed away on her keyboard.   
Sara Ryder should know her human mythology. Once you cut off the head of a Hydra: two more will sprout in it’s place.   
The Asari chuckled darkly as those around her began preparations for phase one of their grandiose plan to overtake the Nexus. A little overkill, absolutely, but those that mess with Sarissa Theris should know that it will be a death sentence.


End file.
